SAN CLEMENTE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Glaukos Corporation (NYSE: GKOS), an ophthalmic medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of breakthrough products and procedures designed to transform the treatment of glaucoma, today announced that it has submitted an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking authorization to study its iStent infinite™ Trabecular Micro-Bypass System.

The iStent infinite is designed for use as a standalone procedure to reduce elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) in refractory glaucoma patients. It includes three heparin-coated titanium stents preloaded into an auto-injection system that allows the surgeon to inject stents across a span of five to six clock hours around Schlemm’s canal, the eye’s primary drainage channel. Once in place, the stents are designed to lower IOP by restoring the natural, physiological outflow of aqueous humor.

“We look forward to working cooperatively with the FDA as they review our IDE application – an application that marks another milestone achievement towards our goal to deliver a comprehensive pipeline of micro-scale glaucoma devices and sustained therapy pharmaceuticals,” said Thomas Burns, president and chief executive officer. “We believe the iStent infinite will be an important addition to our product offering by providing ophthalmic physicians and their refractory glaucoma patients an attractive micro-invasive treatment alternative to more invasive and complex surgical interventions.”

In the IDE application, Glaukos proposes to conduct a prospective, multi-center, single-arm clinical trial to evaluate safety and performance of the iStent infinite in approximately 65 refractory subjects and/or subjects on maximally tolerated topical ocular hypotensive medications. The primary endpoint is proposed to be a 20% or greater reduction in IOP from baseline at 12 months on the same or fewer medications. Glaukos plans to use the trial results as the basis for seeking FDA clearance via a 510k pre-market submission.

The iStent infinite relies on the same fluidic method of action as the company’s first-generation iStent® Trabecular Micro-Bypass Stent, which was approved by the FDA in 2012 and has been shown to lower IOP in adult cataract patients with mild-to-moderate open-angle glaucoma. Each iStent infinite stent is approximately 0.36 mm x 0.36 mm, or about one-third the size of iStent, which the company believes is the smallest medical device ever approved by the FDA.

Glaucoma is characterized by progressive, irreversible and largely asymptomatic vision loss caused by optic nerve damage. There is no cure for the disease and reducing IOP is the only proven treatment. Based on analysis of population-based surveys, medical claims data and other statistics, the company estimates that there are approximately 5.4 million people in the U.S. with primary open-angle glaucoma, the most common form of the disease.

About iStent Trabecular Micro-Bypass Stent (U.S.)

Indication for Use: The iStent Trabecular Micro-Bypass Stent is indicated for use in conjunction with cataract surgery for the reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) in adult patients with mild-to-moderate open-angle glaucoma currently treated with ocular hypotensive medication.

Contraindications: The iStent is contraindicated in eyes with primary or secondary angle closure glaucoma, including neovascular glaucoma, as well as in patients with retrobulbar tumor, thyroid eye disease, Sturge-Weber Syndrome or any other type of condition that may cause elevated episcleral venous pressure.

Warnings: Gonioscopy should be performed prior to surgery to exclude PAS, rubeosis, and other angle abnormalities or conditions that would prohibit adequate visualization of the angle that could lead to improper placement of the stent and pose a hazard. The iStent is MR-Conditional meaning that the device is safe for use in a specified MR environment under specified conditions, please see label for details.

Precautions: The surgeon should monitor the patient postoperatively for proper maintenance of intraocular pressure. The safety and effectiveness of the iStent has not been established as an alternative to the primary treatment of glaucoma with medications, in children, in eyes with significant prior trauma, chronic inflammation, or an abnormal anterior segment, in pseudophakic patients with glaucoma, in patients with pseudoexfoliative glaucoma, pigmentary, and uveitic glaucoma, in patients with unmedicated IOP less than 22 mmHg or greater than 36 mmHg after “washout” of medications, or in patients with prior glaucoma surgery of any type including argon laser trabeculoplasty, for implantation of more than a single stent, after complications during cataract surgery, and when implantation has been without concomitant cataract surgery with IOL implantation for visually significant cataract.

Adverse Events: The most common post-operative adverse events reported in the randomized pivotal trial included early post-operative corneal edema (8%), BCVA loss of ≥ 1 line at or after the 3 month visit (7%), posterior capsular opacification (6%), stent obstruction (4%) early post-operative anterior chamber cells (3%), and early post-operative corneal abrasion (3%). Please refer to Directions for Use for additional adverse event information.

Caution: Federal law restricts this device to sale by, or on the order of, a physician. Please reference the Directions for Use labeling for a complete list of contraindications, warnings, precautions, and adverse events.

About Glaukos

Glaukos (www.glaukos.com) is an ophthalmic medical technology company focused on the development and commercialization of breakthrough products and procedures designed to transform the treatment of glaucoma, one of the world’s leading causes of blindness. The company pioneered Micro-Invasive Glaucoma Surgery, or MIGS, to revolutionize the traditional glaucoma treatment and management paradigm. Glaukos launched the iStent®, its first MIGS device, in the United States in July 2012 and is leveraging its platform technology to build a comprehensive and proprietary portfolio of micro-scale injectable therapies designed to address the complete range of glaucoma disease states and progression. The company believes the iStent, measuring 1.0 mm long and 0.33 mm wide, is the smallest medical device ever approved by the FDA.