Retina Implant AG, established in 2003 and located in Reutlingen near Tübingen, Germany, was a medical technology company focused on developing innovative treatments for retinal degenerative conditions such as retinitis pigmentosa. The company's foundational research, initiated by Prof. Eberhart Zrenner in 1995, explored the feasibility of using electronic implants beneath the retina to replace damaged photoreceptors. This led to the development of the Alpha-IMS and Alpha-AMS subretinal implants, which were milestones in the field, with the former receiving CE marking in July 2013 and the latter in March 2016. In addition to these implants, Retina Implant AG also developed the OkuStim system for transcorneal electrical stimulation.

Despite its groundbreaking work and securing €26 million in private funding in 2016 for expanding its operations internationally, Retina Implant AG encountered challenges that ultimately led to its dissolution on March 19, 2019. The company attributed its closure to the difficult regulatory and healthcare environment in Europe, which it found to be resistant to innovation. Additionally, the company noted that, despite 16 years of intensive research and promising early medical advances, the practical benefits for patients did not meet expectations. Following its closure, efforts were made to ensure that clinical partners and doctors continued supporting users of its implants and therapies.

Visual Prostheses

• Alpha IMS

  subretinal

• Alpha AMS

  subretinal