In Editorial, The New England Journal of Medicine Calls Science Corporation's PRIMA Implant "The First Treatment to Restore Vision" In Patients Suffering From Advanced Geographic Atrophy Due to Age-related Macular Degeneration
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5:20 PM on Wednesday, January 14
The Associated Press
ALAMEDA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 14, 2026--
An editorial published today in The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) writes that Science Corporation ’s PRIMA implant is the first treatment in clinical trials to successfully restore functional vision to certain patients suffering from geographic atrophy (GA) due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of blindness affecting more than 5 million people worldwide.
The editorial, Behind the Science:Restoring Vision for Patients with AMD and Geographic Atrophy, asserts:
“AMD is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss among adults in the United States and other countries. …
The few treatments that are approved to reduce rates of vision loss in patients with geographic atrophy [caused by AMD] delay but do not prevent loss, and they do not improve vision. The therapeutic approach [PRIMA] described by Holz and colleagues represents the first treatment to restore vision in persons with advanced geographic atrophy.”
The editorial is authored by Jacque Duncan, M.D., a distinguished professor of Ophthalmology specializing in retinal disease and Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology, University of California, San Francisco, who was not involved in the study that is the subject of the editorial.
NEJM editorials appear selectively and accompany major original research articles published by the Journal in its print edition. They are intended to provide context, interpretation, and commentary on the especially significant findings, carry substantial weight in the medical and scientific community, and are believed to influence treatment guidelines and medical decision-making.
The PRIMA editorial appears in conjunction with the first print publication of the landmark peer-reviewed original paper, “Subretinal Photovoltaic Implant to Restore Vision in Geographic Atrophy Due to AMD” by Professor Frank Holz, M.D. et al., which was published online by the Journal on October 20, 2025. In the clinical trials described therein, 80% of patients demonstrated meaningful improvement of visual acuity and 84% reported the ability to read letters, numbers, and words. Professor Holz is Chair of the Department of Ophthalmology at the University Hospital of Bonn.
“Our goal at Science is to develop brain-computer interface technologies for conditions long considered untreatable,” said Max Hodak, founder and CEO of Science. “It’s gratifying that in cases where people have been blinded by this awful disease impacting mostly older adults, the scientific community thinks that we are succeeding.”
Science is a leader in brain-computer interface technology and neural engineering. The PRIMA BCI device, consisting of a tiny wireless chip implanted in the retina combined with a pair of special glasses, is based on work conducted by Professor Daniel Palanker at Stanford University, a co-author of the October paper. ( Watch the story behind the discovery.)
In Europe, Science has applied for regulatory approval and hopes to have PRIMA available to patients later this year. In the United States, a Food and Drug Administration approval process is underway. The company has a patient registry for people with macular degeneration and other eye related diseases.
The PRIMA wireless implant system is a novel subretinal photovoltaic implant paired with specialized glasses that project near-infrared light to the implant, which acts like a miniature solar panel. It has an ultra-thin profile and seamless, wireless integration, and its “zoom-in” feature provides patients with the ability to magnify letters.
GA is characterized by a loss of photoreceptors in the retina. PRIMA combats this loss with its wireless subretinal implant (measurements: 2mm x 2mm x 30µm) that operates as an array of artificial photoreceptors, stimulating the remaining cells to carry the visual signal to the brain. Unlike conventional therapies that attempt to slow disease progression, PRIMA directly restored lost functional vision in GA patients in our clinical trials.
Millions of people have AMD; the current generation of PRIMA is designed to treat a subset with advanced GA where vision loss is severe. Science is developing the next version of the implant and glasses which will optimize visual performance further with digital image processing, eye tracking, and streamlined ergonomics to bring this technology to more patients.
About Science Corporation
Science Corporation is a leader in brain-computer interface technology. Our mission is to restore and extend life by transcending the limits of biology. We are focused on developing advanced therapies for critical unmet medical needs and, longer term, on transforming the human condition through neural engineering and advanced perfusion technology. Science is headquartered in Alameda, Calif. For more information please visit: www.science.xyz
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PUB: 01/14/2026 05:20 PM/DISC: 01/14/2026 05:20 PM
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