Carl Zeiss Meditec, Precise Bio unveil partnership to develop tissue-based corneal transplants

Precise Bio's bio-fabricated cornea. (Image courtesy of Precise Bio)

Carl Zeiss Meditec and Precise Bio announced today that the companies have entered into a partnership to develop and commercialize fabricated corneal tissue for transplants in patients that require endothelial keratoplasty and natural lenticule transplants for treating keratoconus and vision correction.

Under the terms of the agreement, Carl Zeiss Meditec will invest in Precise Bio and fund the further development of Precise Bio's two cornea transplant products and has exclusive worldwide commercialization rights for these products. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Euan S. Thomson, PhD, president of Ophthalmic Devices and head of the Digital Business Unit for Carl Zeiss Meditec, noted in a news release that the investment in Precise Bio is expected to complement the company’s portfolio of cataract and corneal refractive workflow solutions.

"The technology has the potential to advance treatment options for corneal disease, as well as for elective procedures – furthering enabling optimization of patient care,” Thomson said in the news release.

Bio-fabricated tissues comprised of human cells and natural materials, mimicking the anatomical structure and natural tissue components, can replace damaged or diseased tissue, substitute for donor tissue in cases where there is lack of tissue or solve unmet therapeutic needs.

Aryeh Batt, co-founder and CEO of Precise Bio, explained that the company is pleased with the partnership, which builds on its collaboration with Zeiss for the development of corneal tissues to address unmet needs in the field of ophthalmology.

“This strategic agreement leverages ZEISS' global leadership in ophthalmology and Precise' innovative and unique 4D bio-fabrication platform technology,” Batt said in the news release. “We are confident that the synergy between the two companies will allow us to develop breakthrough solutions for recovering patients’ eyesight, bringing hope to hundreds of millions of patients worldwide.”