Johnson & Johnson Invests in Refractive Technology Start-Up TECLens

Johnson & Johnson closed a transaction to co-lead the Series A funding of TECLens, a start-up developing a nonincisional refractive correction procedure that leverages corneal cross-linking (CXL) to reshape the cornea. 

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. 

"The TECLens approach is attractive to both patients and physicians for a multitude of reasons. Whereas most current treatments to reshape the cornea require laser-ablation or invasive surgery, TECLens utilizes a noninvasive treatment by incorporating quantitative corneal crosslinking (qCXL) technology and a CXLens® device," Johnson & Johnson stated in a news release.

TECLens’ proprietary therapy delivers UV-light directly to the eye from a fiber optic-connected scleral contact lens. Patients receive a treatment that uses a computationally optimized UV pattern and a dose of riboflavin (vitamin B2) that is customized for each eye. The correction effect is monitored in real-time with ultrasound and the result is enhanced precision of the patient’s outcome, according to J&J. 

This new technology, which is in clinical development, could serve a wider range of patients—particularly those who are not good candidates for other refractive solutions or those who are looking for alternative solutions to traditional refractive surgeries. TECLens aims to deliver a comfortable, noninvasive, office-based treatment that is both repeatable and titratable. Compared to alternative CXL treatments, TECLens’ innovations are designed to be miniaturized, personalized and more targeted to the needs of each patient. The technology supports patients as their eyes mature and potentially become cataract patient candidates for presbyopia-correcting intraocular lenses (PC-IOLs), an option that may not have been available to them without the TECLens procedure, according to J&J. 

“The CXLens device is easy to use and is well tolerated by patients. For the first time I have been able to perform corneal collagen cross-linking with minimal to no discomfort following the procedure, and yet have been able to see significant improvement in both visual and refractive outcomes while stabilizing patients’ corneal ectasia," said Juan Batlle, Jr., MD, a participant in the keratoconus pilot clinical study.

While TECLens will target presbyopia as its initial indication, there is the possibility of expansion into keratoconus, low-order myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. TECLens is currently planning the first refractive correction clinical studies of its one-time vision correction treatment.