Israeli Company's Printed Cornea Restores Sight in Patients
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Israeli company Persys Bio has successfully restored sight to five patients using 3D-printed cornea tissue, a technology previously dismissed as science fiction. The groundbreaking procedure, led by founder Aryeh Bat, involves lab-grown corneal endothelium and has completed initial human trials at Rambam Health Care Campus. This innovation addresses a global shortage of donor corneas, with future applications planned for other tissues and organ segments.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Persys Bio's 3D-printed cornea tissue has restored vision to five patients in initial human trials.
- The technology, developed by Aryeh Bat, was once considered "science fiction" but is now a reality.
- The company aims to address the critical global shortage of donor corneas.
- This marks the world's first implantation of a functional, cell-based bioprinted cornea.
- Future applications may include printing retinal tissue and segments of organs like the heart and liver.
Persys Bio, an Israeli company founded by Aryeh Bat, has achieved a significant breakthrough in regenerative medicine by successfully implanting lab-grown, 3D-printed cornea tissue that has restored vision to patients. Bat, who was often told his vision of printing human tissues was "science fiction," has seen his decade-long endeavor culminate in five patients at Rambam Health Care Campus receiving cornea transplants created by his company.
The groundbreaking procedure, the world's first implantation of a functional, cell-based cornea created through bioprinting, took place on October 29, 2025. The trial, a Phase 1 open-label study involving up to 15 patients, aims to assess safety and tolerability, with initial efficacy signs being monitored. Results are expected in 2027.
Persys Bio's technology focuses on printing the endothelium, a crucial cell layer that maintains corneal transparency, along with a collagen-based support layer. This addresses a critical shortage of donor corneas worldwide, where millions lack access to sight-restoring treatments. The company's method allows a single donor cornea to yield cells that can be expanded in the lab, potentially treating hundreds of patients.
Bat, a physicist by training with a background in the defense industry, co-founded Persys Bio in 2015 with Professor Anthony Atala and Professor Shai Sukar. The company calls its process "four-dimensional printing," which involves cell isolation, expansion, printing, and a subsequent maturation phase. This approach aims to provide on-demand tissue for surgeons.
In 2022, German eye care giant Carl Zeiss Meditec invested in Persys Bio and partnered for commercialization, signaling growing industry confidence. While the cornea is the first success, Bat envisions future applications in printing retinal tissue, heart muscle segments, and parts of organs like the liver and kidneys within the next 10-15 years, though full organ printing remains decades away.
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