Novartis has confirmed its plans to begin human trials of a ‘smart’ contact lens for presbyopia next year.
Chief executive of Novartis, Joe Jimenez, told Swiss newspaper Le Temps, that the project is “progressing well.”
He said: “The calendar is on track and we are already developing a technological lens prototype [that] should be tested on humans in 2016.”
Last year the Swiss drug firm revealed details of its plans to develop an accommodative contact lens or intraocular lens to restore autofocus in patients with presbyopia.
The smart technology is being developed through the Swiss drug firm’s eye care division, Alcon, as part of an agreement with Google. The project sees Alcon work with Google’s research arm, Google X, to use non-invasive sensors and miniaturised electronics to monitor and address eye conditions.
The collaboration also includes the much reported plans to develop a contact lens to monitor the sugar levels in the tearfilm of diabetic patients.
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