Neurotech Pharmaceuticals (Cumberland, RI) has announced the successful completion of the first commercial surgical implantation of ENCELTO (revakinagene taroretcel-lwey) – the first FDA-approved treatment for idiopathic Macular Telangiectasia Type 2 (MacTel), a bilateral, neurodegenerative retinal disease that causes gradual vision loss due to localized photoreceptor degeneration and vascular changes.
ENCELTO is an encapsulated cell-based gene therapy, surgically implanted into the eye to deliver sustained release of recombinant human ciliary neurotrophic factor (rhCNTF) – a protein shown to support photoreceptor survival and slow visual decline. The implant, roughly the size of a grain of rice, is designed to remain in the eye long-term, protected by a semi-permeable membrane that allows protein diffusion while shielding cells from immune response.
Charles C. Wykoff of Retinal Consultants of Texas, Houston, TX – the surgeon who performed the first procedure – said: "Performing the first ENCELTO surgery for a patient with MacTel outside of a clinical trial is an important milestone. For the first time, we can offer a valuable and durable treatment option for patients, one that slows their loss of photoreceptors and maintains more visual function over time."
ENCELTO is an encapsulated cell-based gene therapy, surgically implanted into the eye to deliver sustained release of recombinant human ciliary neurotrophic factor (rhCNTF) – a protein shown to support photoreceptor survival and slow visual decline. The implant, roughly the size of a grain of rice, is designed to remain in the eye long-term, protected by a semi-permeable membrane that allows protein diffusion while shielding cells from immune response.
Charles C. Wykoff of Retinal Consultants of Texas, Houston, TX – the surgeon who performed the first procedure – said: "Performing the first ENCELTO surgery for a patient with MacTel outside of a clinical trial is an important milestone. For the first time, we can offer a valuable and durable treatment option for patients, one that slows their loss of photoreceptors and maintains more visual function over time."
