Eyeborn – restored quality of life for the visually impaired

Abstract

Eyeborn is an innovative hydroxyapatite orbital implant used to replace the eyeball of a patient who has lost an eye. A prosthetic eye cap is fitted in front of the Eyeborn implant, restoring the patient’s appearance and improving his quality of life. The product was developed with funding from the South African Innovation Fund. This paper shares some of the lessons learnt during the commercialisation of the product and the technology transfer to a South African small enterprise, Cerdak (Pty) Ltd. Aspects, such as the inputs of medical experts, clinical trials, development of the commercialisation model, identification of a marketing company and a manufacturer, accessing funding and contracting, are discussed. The technology transfer process included compliance with international quality system standards and the acquisition of the CE Mark for the product. Timing of the market launch and subsequent complications regarding provision in market demand during the technology transfer phase posed special challenges. In this regard the role of the marketing company, VisiCare (Pty) Ltd, is discussed.