Second Sight Announces Market Entry into Russia with First Implant of Argus II Retinal Prosthesis
System
- Marks Continued Global Expansion of Argus II for Individuals Blinded by Retinitis Pigmentosa
-
Second Sight Medical Products, Inc. (NASDAQ:EYES) ("Second Sight" or "the Company"), a developer, manufacturer and marketer of
implantable visual prosthetics to provide useful vision to blind patients, today announced market entry into Russia, implanting the
first patient with the Company’s Argus® II Retinal Prosthesis System (“Argus II”) in Moscow. The implant was facilitated by the
country’s exclusive distribution partner, Medical Equipment Trading Company. The project was initiated by the Deaf-Blind Support
Foundation Con-nection and supported by the Art, Science and Sport Charity Foundation and the Laboratory "Sensor-Tech" from
Moscow.
“This first implant in Russia represents an important step as we seek to expand our global presence and make the Argus II
available to more blind individuals worldwide. We are excited about the long-term potential of new markets, like Russia as well as
our recent entry into South Korea and Taiwan,” said Will McGuire, Chief Executive Officer of Second Sight.
The first implant in Russia was performed at the Federal State Institution & Clinical Research Center of the Federal
Medico-Biological Agency (FMBA) by a surgical team at the end of June 2017 in Moscow in a 59-year-old patient with Retinitis
Pigmentosa. Dr. Paulo Stanga, Ophthalmologist & Vitreoretinal Surgeon at the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital, UK
proctored the surgery.
About the Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System
Second Sight's Argus II System provides electrical stimulation that bypasses the defunct retinal cells and stimulates remaining
viable cells inducing visual perception in individuals with severe to profound Retinitis Pigmentosa. The Argus II works by
converting images captured by a miniature video camera mounted on the patient's glasses into a series of small electrical pulses,
which are transmitted wirelessly to an array of electrodes implanted on the surface of the retina. These pulses stimulate the
retina's remaining cells, intending to result in the perception of patterns of light in the brain. The patient must learn to
interpret these visual patterns, having the potential to regain some visual function. The Argus II was the first artificial retina
to receive widespread approval, and is offered at approved centers in Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South
Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Turkey, United Kingdom, and the U.S.
About Second Sight
Second Sight's mission is to develop, manufacture and market innovative implantable visual prosthetics to enable blind
individuals to achieve greater independence. Second Sight has developed and manufactures the Argus® II Retinal Prosthesis System.
Second Sight is currently conducting a trial to test the safety and utility of the Argus II in individuals with Dry Age-Related
Macular Degeneration. Second Sight is also developing the Orion™ I Visual Cortical Prosthesis that is intended to restore some
vision to individuals who are blind due to many causes other than preventable or treatable conditions. U.S. Headquarters are in
Sylmar, CA, and European Headquarters are in Lausanne, Switzerland. For more information, visit www.secondsight.com.
Safe Harbor
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, which are intended to be covered by the
"safe harbor" created by those sections. All statements in this release that are not based on historical fact are "forward looking
statements." These statements may be identified by words such as "estimates," "anticipates," "projects," "plans," or "planned,"
"seeks," "may," "will," "expects," "intends," "believes," "should" and similar expressions or the negative versions thereof and
which also may be identified by their context. All statements that address operating performance or events or developments that
Second Sight expects or anticipates will occur in the future, or that are not otherwise historical facts, are forward-looking
statements. While management has based any forward looking statements included in this release on its current expectations, the
information on which such expectations were based may change. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties
which could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, as a result of various factors
including those risks and uncertainties described in the Risk Factors and in Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial
Condition and Results of Operations sections of our Annual Report on Form 10-K as filed on March 16, 2017, and our other
reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. We urge you to consider those risks and
uncertainties in evaluating our forward-looking statements. We caution readers not to place undue reliance upon any such
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date made. Except as otherwise required by the federal securities laws, we
disclaim any obligation or undertaking to publicly release any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statement contained
herein (or elsewhere) to reflect any change in our expectations with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or
circumstances on which any such statement is based.
Investor Relations:
Institutional Investors
In-Site Communications, Inc.
Lisa Wilson, 212-452-2793
President
lwilson@insitecony.com
or
Individual Investors
MZ North America
Greg Falesnik, 949-385-6449
Managing Director
greg.falesnik@mzgroup.us
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