Prof. Stuart Trembly

Avedro, Inc. [founded by Professor Stuart Trembly] and Hersh Vision Group announced today that Dr. Peter Hersh has treated the first patient in a physician sponsored Investigational New Drug (IND) study for the safety and efficacy of the Keraflex Microwave System. Recruiting for additional eligible patients with keratoconus has now begun.

Dr. Hersh remarked, “Keraflex, combined with corneal collagen cross-linking, is a promising new technology to flatten the protruding cone of keratoconus and make the irregular cornea smoother. Early experience internationally has shown improvements in the keratoconic cornea that we have not seen with past technologies. This should help improve contact lens wear and vision with glasses in patients with keratoconus, a cornea problem that is difficult to correct. We hope that Keraflex can help avoid cornea transplants in many patients who otherwise might have no other alternative.”

The Keraflex refractive correction procedure is a microwave-based, non-incision ophthalmic procedure for flattening the cornea without the removal of tissue. The treatment takes less than a second, and is enhanced through a subsequent treatment of corneal collagen cross-linking using Avedro’s KXL™ accelerated cross-linking system.

“We are pleased that Dr. Hersh is able to offer Keraflex combined with KXL cross-linking as a potential treatment for his keratoconic patients,” said David Muller, PhD, CEO of Avedro. “This system has been in use outside the United States for several years and the initial studies have been very promising.”