Eye implant triggers sight improvements in GA at 36 months, pivotal study finds. Annabel Kartal Allen Updated Tue, October 6, 2026 at 8:33 AM PDT * Science Corporation's PRIMA subretinal implant and glasses combo has shown significant long-term vision improvements in patients with geographic atrophy, with an average gain of 29 letters on an eye test chart at 36 months. Science Corporation's subretinal implant and specialised glasses combination, PRIMA, has been shown to provide durable, long-term gains in vision to patients with a degenerative eye condition called geographic atrophy (GA). During the PRIMAvera study, (NCT04676854) Science evaluated PRIMA's safety and vision-boosting potential over a 36-week period - specifically looking at its potential to improve the prosthetic sharpness and clarity of patient's vision via their ability to read letters on a standard eye test chart. As per new, long-term data from the pivotal trial, the duo of devices allowed patients to see an average of 29 more letters, representing nearly six lines, on an eye test chart at the 36-month mark - a marked improvement from the 24.5 letter average at 12 months. Meanwhile, 14 out of the 18 efficacy-evaluable patients achieved improvements of at least 15 letters on an eye test chart at 36 months, while their existing natural vision remained stable. On top of PRIMA's promising efficacy profile, researchers observed no new safety signals linked to the device combination between the 12 and 36-month timepoints, with serious adverse events (AEs) primarily occurring in the first six months post-surgery. While three AEs did occur 12 months after insertion, none of these were attributed to PRIMA alone. Science first presented these data at the EURETINA Congress of European retina specialists in Vienna Austria, which was held between 1 and 4 October 2026. Science Corporation eyes PRIMA US market debut. The results of the PRIMAvera study will be welcome news for the neural engineering company, which is currently awaiting a potential approval from US regulators following the device's debut on the British and European markets - where it is indicated specifically for patients with GA linked to age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Science designed PRIMA as a surgically implanted device that sits behind the retina within the region that has degenerated due to GA. By combining it with specialised glasses, which project near-infrared light to the implant, PRIMA offers patients the ability to magnify letters via its ability to mimic the activity of photoreceptors, while stimulating the remaining cells to carry visual signals to the brain. Science debuts this data as between five to eight million people worldwide live with GA, a severe form of AMD that can cause severe central vision loss in affected patients. Currently, Science is the first to debut a device of this kind for GA, though fellow ophthalmology-focused medtech company, LumiThera has received an authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Valeda Light Delivery System, which harnesses multi-wavelength LED lights to stimulate cellular function and promote tissue repair. Currently, GlobalData forecasts that the global ophthalmic devices market will balloon at a compound annual growth rate of 4.7% to just shy of $15bn in value by 2035. "Eye implant triggers sight improvements in GA at 36 months, pivotal study finds " was originally created and published by Medical Device Network, a GlobalData owned brand.

Precision Neuroscience raises $250 million Series D to advance less-invasive brain-computer interface. The funding values the New York-based startup at more than $1 billion as it expands clinical programs and prepares its Layer 7 Cortical Interface for further FDA review. Prefer on Google Discover more Computers & Electronics Neuroscience computer interface Precision Neuroscience has raised $250 million in an oversubscribed Series D funding round to advance development and commercialization of its less-invasive brain-computer interface technology. Neurological Conditions The New York-based medical device company was founded in 2021 by Michael Mager and neurosurgeon Benjamin Rapoport. The latest financing brings Precision's total funding to $430 million and values the company at more than $1 billion. The round was co-led by Pershing Square Inc., the Ackman Oxman Institute and an undisclosed life sciences fund. Duquesne Family Office, ARK Invest, B Capital, Invus, Mubadala Capital, Mirae Asset Capital, Korea Investment Partners, Hitachi Ventures and JSL Health Capital also participated. A brain interface designed for the surface. Precision's core technology is the Layer 7 Cortical Interface, a thin-film electrode array designed to sit on the surface of the brain rather than penetrate brain tissue. The device is inserted through a slit in the skull that the company says is less than a millimetre wide. This approach differs from systems such as Neuralink's, which use electrodes implanted directly into the cortex. Precision says the surface-mounted design makes the device reversible. Layer 7 has received FDA clearance for use for up to 30 days, and the company has conducted more than 100 procedures across 18 medical institutions, including Mount Sinai and Penn Medicine. "The next phase of BCI will be defined by more than technology alone. We have built the clinical network, regulatory position, and manufacturing base that leadership in this field requires," said Michael Mager, Precision's co-founder and chief executive. Positioning between invasive and endovascular systems. Precision is developing its technology in a competitive brain-computer interface market that includes several different approaches to connecting electronics with the nervous system. Discover more Computer Science Computer Interface Neuralink uses implanted electrodes positioned directly within the brain, while Synchron's Stentrode is delivered through a blood vessel. Science Corporation, another company founded by a former Neuralink employee, is developing a retinal implant aimed at restoring vision. Technology News Precision is positioning its technology between these approaches, seeking to reduce the invasiveness associated with penetrating brain tissue while maintaining higher-resolution neural signals than endovascular systems. The company has also established commercial and manufacturing capabilities. Medtronic is a commercial partner, while Precision operates a microelectronics manufacturing facility in Texas. Ackman makes a rare private investment. The Series D marks an unusual private investment from Pershing Square, the investment firm led by Bill Ackman. The Ackman Oxman Institute, which Ackman co-founded with architect Neri Oxman, is also participating in its first investment through the round. Pershing Square and the institute together contributed $42.5 million. Ackman said the investment reflects the potential for BCI technology to address neurological injuries and expand treatment options for people affected by severe brain-related conditions. "We have learned that the brain can recover from even catastrophic injury, and that there is far more that can be done for people living with neurological injuries," Ackman said. $430 million raised for clinical and commercial expansion. With the new financing, Precision has now raised $430 million since its founding. The company plans to direct the capital toward its clinical program, additional FDA regulatory work for the Layer 7 system and the development of commercial infrastructure. The latest financing also gives Precision additional resources as it works toward broader applications for its technology. The company faces the longer-term challenge of demonstrating whether surface-based neural interfaces can deliver durable performance while meeting regulatory and patient requirements for extended use. Mager has previously indicated that developing a permanently implantable system could take years. For now, Precision is continuing to build clinical evidence and regulatory experience around its less-invasive approach to brain-computer interfaces. Computers & Electronics

Neuralink co-founder Max Hodak says screen era is ending at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026. Tl;dr. * Neuralink co-founder and Science Corp CEO Max Hodak will speak at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 in San Francisco on his vision for screen-free, brain-computer-powered interfaces. * Hodak will outline how moving beyond phones and screens could redefine computing while first delivering major medical breakthroughs in vision, paralysis, and neurological disease. * TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 runs October 13-15 at Moscone West, with attendees able to save up to $200 on passes if they register before September 25. The smartphone has ruled its lives for nearly two decades. If Max Hodak is right, its days are numbered. Hodak, the Neuralink co-founder now leading biotech company Science Corp, is set to take the stage at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 to make the case that the screen era is ending - and that direct interfaces between the brain and machines are what comes next. His session is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about talks at this year's Disrupt, TechCrunch's flagship startup and tech conference bringing together founders, investors, and technologists from around the world. Why Hodak's appearance matters. Hodak is not a futurist speaking in hypotheticals. He co-founded Neuralink with Elon Musk in 2016 and helped pioneer ultra-high-bandwidth brain implants before leaving in 2021 to found Science Corp. Since then, Science Corp has emerged as one of the most serious players in the brain-computer interface race, focused less on hype and more on near-term clinical impact. His perspective carries weight because he has built in both the Silicon Valley moonshot world and the rigorous medical-device world. At Disrupt 2026, he is expected to connect those two worlds: how today's medical implants lay the groundwork for tomorrow's consumer computing paradigm. From Neuralink to Science Corp. After departing Neuralink, Hodak launched Science Corp with a mission to treat serious diseases with advanced bioengineering, including brain-computer interfaces, optogenetics, and engineered cell therapies. The company's flagship program is the Science Eye, a visual prosthesis aimed at restoring vision for patients with retinitis pigmentosa and dry age-related macular degeneration. The system combines a gene therapy in the eye with an implanted micro-LED display that stimulates the retina - essentially bypassing damaged photoreceptors. Science Corp has already moved into human clinical trials, positioning it alongside Neuralink, Synchron, and Precision Neuroscience in the race to prove that implantable BCIs are safe, scalable, and commercially viable. That track record is why TechCrunch is putting Hodak center stage: he can speak to what actually works in humans right now, not just lab demos. How screen-free computing could work. Hodak's core argument is simple but radical: screens are a bottleneck. Every digital interaction today - tapping, typing, scrolling, staring - is a low-bandwidth workaround for what its brains actually intend. Brain-computer interfaces promise to collapse that gap by reading neural intent directly and writing information back into the nervous system. On stage, Hodak is expected to outline a phased path: * First, restore lost function like sight, movement, and speech. * Then, augment normal function with silent, hands-free, eyes-free control of devices. * Ultimately, replace the phone entirely with a persistent, contextual layer that responds to thought and perception rather than touch. It is a vision that aligns with broader moves in tech toward smart glasses, AI pins, and ambient AI assistants - but Hodak argues only neural interfaces can fully free Androguider from displays. Medical breakthroughs first, consumer second. Unlike some BCI proponents who jump straight to telepathy and memory uploads, Hodak has consistently emphasized medicine first. Expect his Disrupt talk to focus heavily on patients: people with paralysis regaining digital independence, blind patients seeing light and shapes again, and future applications for epilepsy, depression, and chronic pain. That medical-first strategy is not just ethical, it is practical. It provides a regulatory pathway, real-world safety data, and a reimbursement model that pure consumer wearables lack. Once implants prove they can safely restore function for millions, Hodak argues, expansion into broader computing becomes inevitable. Industry watchers will be listening closely for updates on Science Corp's clinical progress, manufacturing scale-up, and timeline for next-generation implants. What to expect at Disrupt 2026. TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 will take place October 13-15 at Moscone West in San Francisco. The event is expected to draw thousands of startup founders, VCs, and operators for three days of stage interviews, startup pitches in Startup Battlefield, hands-on demos, and networking. Hodak's session will be part of the main stage lineup focused on the future of computing, AI, and frontier tech. Attendees can expect a candid conversation rather than a scripted keynote, including challenges around safety, ethics, privacy, and who gets access to brain technology. With Neuralink now implanting patients, Synchron advancing its stent-based system, and Big Tech investing in non-invasive neural wristbands and AI wearables, the timing could not be better for a reality check on where screen-free interfaces truly stand. How to attend and save. For founders, investors, and anyone tracking the next platform shift after mobile, Hodak's talk is being billed as must-see. TechCrunch says passes are currently discounted, with attendees able to save up to $200 if they register before September 25. After that deadline, prices increase ahead of the October event. With the screen era potentially coming to a close, Disrupt 2026 may be where its replacement gets its clearest roadmap yet. AndroGuider Team Articles written by the AndroGuider team. Androguider try to make them thorough and informational while being easy to read.