Cilio-scleral interposition (CID):
a new class of implant for treating glaucoma

CID: The first implant in glaucoma surgery that leaves the anterior chamber untouched

Discover CID (Cilio-Scleral Inter-positioning Device), the first implant to effectively reduce IntraOcular Pressure (IOP) without penetrating the anterior chamber or creating subconjunctival filtration – critical measures that overcome the most serious complications and shortcomings of other glaucoma surgical techniques. 

CID reduces IOP with long-lasting effect, offering very good safety “by design”

In contrast to other treatments, a CID is uniquely positioned between only two areas of the eye – between the ciliary body and the sclera. This offers the unparalleled advantage of unlocking the natural uveoscleral pathway while leaving the anterior chamber fully intact, along with the wall that separates it from the supraciliary space. It enhances the eye’s natural capacity to drain the ocular aqueous humor from the anterior chamber into physiological channels.

Key benefits

An implant design in a class by itself

Ciliatech’s implant is a cilio-scleral inter-positioning device made of hydrophilic hydrogel; a biocompatible material used in intraocular lenses. This material is foldable, so that the implant, which has a plate-like format measuring 6*4*0.2 mm, can be squeezed to pass through small incisions. Once in situ, it will conform to the anatomy of its placement without excessive mechanical resistance or pressure on the surrounding tissues.

CID’s plate-like format enables the separation of two ocular tissues (the sclera and the ciliary muscle) that in normal conditions are in contact and not physiologically separated.

CID is an ab externo implantation. By embedding the inter-positioning device only between the sclera and the ciliary muscle, it:

Achieving Exceptional Clinical Results - 3 years and counting

CILIATECH CLINICAL TRIAL PROGRAMME
Ciliatech have been investing in the SAFARI (SuprAciliary Filtration Alone Reduces IOP) Clinical Trial Programme since 2020.  The clinical studies in this programme are so far reporting as far as 3 years of follow up. 
As per the acronym, the SAFARI clinical trial programme seeks to validate the hypothesis that Supraciliary Filtration Alone Reduces IOP – notably, without opening the anterior chamber and without disinserting the iris root to create a cleft.

 

SAFARI-I & SAFARI-II STUDIES
In the SAFARI I&II studies, The first version of the Cilioscleral Interposition Device (CID) has been implanted in 42 patients.  For the patients now presenting at 3 years of follow up, Intraocular Pressure (IOP) has been reduced by an average of 8.0mmHg which represents a 33% reduction in IOP. 
Furthermore patients have benefitted from an average 75% reduction in dependence on topical IOP lowering eye drops.  There have been no significant safety reports, and impressively none of the patients have required further glaucoma surgery procedures to maintain this IOP control over the 3 years.


SAFARI-III STUDY

After refining the device design Ciliatech have since trialled the CID in an additional 57 patients in the SAFARI-III study.  In this trial patients with both Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG) and Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma (PACG) were tested in relatively equal proportions. 

For the patients now presenting at 2 years of follow, up Intraocular Pressure (IOP) has been reduced in ‘double-digit’ proportions by an average of 10.8mmHg which represents a 46% reduction in IOP.  This is the average IOP drop across both POAG and PACG subjects (very little difference between groups). 

In the SAFARI-III study patients have benefitted from an average 94% reduction in dependence on topical IOP lowering eye drops, with 85% remaining completely free of medications at 2 years.  There have again, been no significant safety reports, and once again none of the patients have needed further glaucoma surgery procedures to maintain this IOP control.


Ciliatech plans to continue follow up of the current studies even beyond the existing 3-year time points, in addition to embarking upon additional new multi-centre studies around the world in order to continue supporting the device with further scientific validation.

CLINICAL RESULTS FROM SAFARI-I & SAFARI-II STUDIES:

CLINICAL RESULTS FROM SAFARI-III STUDY:

Groundbreaking procedure, trusted by surgeons

Surgeons have responded enthusiastically about the speed and safety of CID surgery and its patient-friendly procedure.

“A CID surgery is very simple, safe and short to perform. It is minimally invasive, very gentle and the learning curve is fast. But most importantly,  the anterior chamber is preserved, so that the cornea is not exposed and the eye is very calm in the post-op period, with no bleb and no pain for the patient. And this without saying that the IOP results are also very good and sustained in the long run”

Dr L. Voskanyan MD PhD
Head of Glaucoma department, S.V. Malayan’s Eye Center
Chief of Ophthalmology at Yerevan State Medical university

Everyone benefits from CID

As the disease is put under control over the long-term, the need for eye drops is markedly reduced, significantly improving patient quality of life

Patients with altered corneal endothelium can be treated safely with CID

Surgeons have an alternative to treating glaucoma safely, efficiently and sustainably, with complete respect of the eye’s natural anatomy and physiology, with no iatrogenic risks and no loss of chance for the patient

Team Leaders

Ophthalmic surgeon and inventor Dr. Philippe Sourdille, and Olivier Benoit, a veteran engineer and biotech entrepreneur, created Ciliatech in 2017 to develop a new treatment for glaucoma with optimized performance outcomes for both surgeon and patient. They  produced CID (Cilio-Scleral Inter-positioning Device), a new class of implant to create a long-lasting channel for aqueous humour drainage out of the eye. 

Dr. Philippe SOURDILLE

Co-founder and Medical Director

Olivier BENOIT

Co-founder and CEO