Injectable iStent launched in Canada

Glaukos Corporation this month announced the commercial launch of the iStent inject system in Canada.

The iStent inject system is preloaded with 2 micro-scale stents that are implanted through a single entry point directly through the trabecular meshwork and into Schlemm’s canal. The iStent inject has been designed to allow placement of stents into multiple trabecular meshwork locations with a straightforward click-and-release motion.

Health Canada approved the iStent inject for patients with primary open-angle glaucoma, pseudoexfoliative glaucoma or pigmentary glaucoma. It may be used in combination with cataract surgery or in a standalone procedure.

Numerous clinical studies have showed that implantation of multiple stents reduced patients’ IOP while potentially reducing or eliminating the need for topical medications.

“The advent of Micro-Invasive Glaucoma Surgery, or MIGS, is revolutionizing the way we treat glaucoma patients and the commercial launch of iStent inject in Canada underscores the continuing advance of this exciting new treatment class,” said Ike K. Ahmed, MD, of Trillium Health Partners and University of Toronto. Dr. Ahmed was the first surgeon in Canada to implant the iStent inject in patients.