Newly Published Study Results Show that Patients with Infectious Corneal Ulcers had Significantly Faster Epithelialization and better Visual Acuity than Standard of Care (SOC) After Receiving Placement of Cryopreserved Amniotic Membrane

Post-treatment application of Cryopreserved Amniotic Membrane (Prokera® Slim) may be useful in treating sight-threatening infectious corneal ulcers by promoting faster corneal epithelialization and overall better recovery of Visual Acuity

Miami, FL – November 19, 2020 – BioTissue, Inc. (BioTissue), a TissueTech, Inc. company and pioneer in the clinical application of human birth tissue-based products for ocular surface disease and disorders, announced today the results of a retrospective, case-control study, Self‑retained Cryopreserved Amniotic Membrane for Treating Severe Corneal Ulcers: A Comparative, Retrospective Control Study, published in the October 12, 2020, issue of Scientific Reports.

A total of 24 patients with central and paracentral corneal infectious ulcers and initial Visual Acuity (VA) worse than 20/200 participated in the study at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York. All patients underwent corneal scraping and microbiological culturing followed by topical broad-spectrum antibiotics (Vancomycin 25 mg/ml and Tobramycin 15 mg/ml). Among them, 11 eyes of 11 patients received an additional placement of BioTissue’s Prokera^® Slim Cryopreserved Amniotic Membrane (CAM).

Epithelialization and Best Corrected Snellen Visual Acuity (BCSVA) were compared between the two groups; at baseline, both groups had comparable age, gender, VA, size, and corneal ulcer location. Patients who had received the additional CAM placement had significantly faster epithelialization within 3.56 ± 1.78 weeks vs. 5.87 ± 2.20 weeks (p = 0.01). Complete epithelialization was seen in significantly more patients (72.7% vs. 23.1% p = 0.04) despite overall larger baseline defect size (32.7 ± 19.5 mm2 vs. 21.5 ± 10.7 mm2, p = 0.11). This group also had clinically significant BCSVA (> 3 lines) (81.8% vs. 38.4%, p = 0.047) and total VA improvement (log MAR 0.7 ± 0.6 vs. 1.6 ± 0.9, p = 0.016) compared to the control group during complete epithelialization.

“This study shows strong support for utilizing Prokera in conjunction with the Standard of Care (SOC) to promote significantly faster epithelialization and better visual acuity than SOC alone,” said TissueTech co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Scheffer C.G. Tseng, MD, PhD. “Prokera is FDA-cleared and contains the only cryopreserved amniotic membrane designated by the FDA as anti-inflammatory, anti-scarring, and anti-angiogenic on the ocular surface.”

Clinicians have seen that corneal ulcers disrupt the ocular surface’s integrity, resulting in further damage from the mechanical friction. Many clinicians believe that CAM may serve as a safe mechanical barrier to prevent additional frictional trauma to the ocular surface while providing therapeutic benefits designated by the FDA as being anti-inflammatory and anti-scarring.

Furthermore, various studies have reported that CAM retains an antimicrobial property.^1-4 If confirmed, this may suggest why the epithelialization occurred much faster in the CAM group. Additional prospective and randomized controlled studies could demonstrate the efficacy of Prokera as an adjunctive treatment for infectious corneal ulcers.

About BioTissue, Inc.

BioTissue, Inc., a TissueTech, Inc. company, is the market leader in the clinical application of CAM-based products for the treatment of diseases and disorders of the ocular surface. Established in 1997, BioTissue serves an unmet need for better surgical and therapeutic alternatives for helping eye care professionals manage ocular surface conditions, such as keratitis, recurrent corneal erosions, conjunctivochalasis (Mechanical Dry Eye or MDE), pterygium, and severe dry eye. Connect with BioTissue on our Physician Portal (for healthcare professionals only), Website, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, or through your local sales professional.

About TissueTech, Inc.

TissueTech, Inc., the parent company of BioTissue, Inc. and Amniox Medical, Inc., is a scientific and market leader in the field of regenerative medicine. TissueTech manufactures a broad range of ocular, surgical, wound care, and soft tissue products that are marketed under these subsidiaries. Clinicians have performed more than 500,000 human implants with the company’s products and published more than 360 peer-reviewed studies supporting its products and platform technology. TissueTech is committed to an unwavering integrity culture that places our patients’ safety and clinical outcomes above all else. Learn more at biotissue.com.