Science Corp Gains EU Approval for Vision-Restoring Implant

The PRIMA system uses a sub-retinal chip paired with camera-equipped glasses to bypass damaged light-sensitive cells. During an hour-long outpatient procedure, surgeons implant the chip, which then receives visual data from the glasses. Company CEO Max Hodak noted that users have already demonstrated functional improvements, including reading books and completing puzzles. In the United States, the device has received an FDA designation that initiates the pathway toward expedited regulatory review for treating rare forms of blindness.

Science Corp plans to debut the device in Germany by September, with pricing expected to reach hundreds of thousands of dollars. Discussions regarding insurance reimbursement are currently underway. While the company pursues these immediate clinical applications, Hodak views the revenue generated by PRIMA as critical funding for his long-term goal: developing bio-hybrid brain sensors, a project currently involving Dr. Murat Günel of the Yale Medical School Department of Neurosurgery. Future iterations of the vision system aim to shrink the hardware, moving from current battery-powered requirements toward a form factor closer to standard augmented reality eyewear.