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LAS VEGAS, Nov. 16, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Retina Implant AG, the leading developer of subretinal implants for patients blinded by retinitis pigmentosa (RP), today announced the presentation of data on its Alpha IMS subretinal implant, used to restore vision to the blind, at the 2015 American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) annual meeting. The data, presented by Dr. Helmut Sachs, Retina Implant's senior consultant and head of the Department of Ophthalmology, Clinic Dresden-Friedrichstadt, Germany was shared at the Sands Expo in Las Vegas, Nev. yesterday afternoon during the meeting's Vitreous Retina session.

"My colleagues at AAO were encouraged to learn about the truly life-changing effects that the Alpha IMS device provides patients," said Dr. Sachs. "For decades, researchers have searched for solutions to re-establish useful vision for late-stage RP patients living in darkness. We are making significant progress with technologies like the Alpha IMS but, of course, there is still much more we hope to achieve."

During the presentation titled, "Surgical Procedure and Visual Outcome in 29 Blind Retinitis Pigmentosa Patients after Transchoroidal Implantation of Subretinal Alpha IMS Device," Dr. Sachs discussed the results seen in 29 previously-blind RP patients who were implanted with the Alpha IMS. Key findings from the presentation include:

• 72 percent of patients reached the primary efficacy endpoints of the study, showing a significant improvement in daily living tasks, recognition and mobility.
• Light detection drastically improved, with more than 86 percent of patients able to detect light, including the identification of specific light sources.
• Transchoroidal implantation surgery was found to be a safe strategy for inserting subretinal implants, and patients did not experience any adverse events.

Remarked Walter-G Wrobel, CEO of Retina Implant AG, "We are proud that Dr. Sachs was invited to share the results of our device with his esteemed peers at AAO. Communicating our learnings with global leaders in ophthalmology is critical to bringing our life-changing technology to patients with advanced RP, a patient population with very few options."

The American Academy of Ophthalmology is the world's largest association of ophthalmologists, eye physicians and surgeons, serving more than 32,000 members worldwide. The Academy's mission is to advance the lifelong learning and professional interests of ophthalmologists to ensure that the public can obtain the best possible eye care. AAO's annual meeting brings together leaders in the ophthalmology community for sessions including instructional courses, key-note lectures and hands-on symposia that contribute to life-long learning in the ophthalmology community.

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About Retina Implant AG
Retina Implant AG is the leading developer of subretinal implants for partially sighted and blind patients. After extensive research with German university hospitals and institutes which began with a large grant from the German Federal Ministry of Research and Education in 1996, Retina Implant AG was founded by Dr. Eberhart Zrenner, professor of Ophthalmology, University of Tuebingen, Germany and his colleagues in 2003 with private investors with the goal of developing a fully-functioning electronic retinal implant to restore useful vision to the blind. Retina Implant began implanting human patients in 2005 and started a second, larger clinical trial in 2010. In July 2013, Retina Implant's wireless subretinal implant technology, Alpha IMS, received CE mark.

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SOURCE Retina Implant AG