Second Sight to Focus on Orion, Suspend Production of Argus II

Second Sight Medical Products announced May 15 that it plans to accelerate development and commercialization of its Orion Visual Cortical Prosthesis System, a device implanted in the brain, and suspend production of the Argus II retinal prosthesis system.

The Sylmar, California, company said Orion holds the potential to provide useful artificial vision to individuals blind from many causes, including glaucoma, eye injury, diabetic retinopathy, optic nerve disease or injury, and retinitis pigmentosa. The device bypasses the optic nerve and directly stimulates the visual cortex.

The Argus II, implanted in the eye, is indicated for patients with end-stage retinitis pigmentosa (RP). It converts images captured by a miniature video camera mounted on a patient’s glasses into a series of small electrical pulses. The Argus II gained approval in the European Union in 2001 and the US in 2013.

Patients implanted with the Argus II have gained limited vision, typically the ability to make out shapes to navigate a room. Competitor Retina Implant AG, maker of the Alpha AMS retinal prosthesis, shut down in March 2019 in part because patient results fell short of expectations, the company said.

The Orion is based on the Argus II, but with the electrode neural interface moved from the retina to the visual cortex.

Second Sight said it intends to add more than 25 new positions in 2019, including top research and development talent, to support Orion’s advancement, as well as shift the company’s production focus to the Orion.

 “We remain committed to supporting existing Argus II users, including pursuing regulatory approvals for the Argus II’s next-generation externals,” the company said.