EyeCool Therapeutics Announces New ETX-4143 Data to Be Presented at ARVO 2026

Presentations add to growing evidence supporting safety and efficacy of this novel device in chronic ocular surface pain.

BOSTON, MA, UNITED STATES, April 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- EyeCool Therapeutics today announced that new data on its investigational ocular pain modulation device, ETX-4143, will be presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) 2026 Annual Meeting (May 3–7, Denver).

The abstracts add to growing evidence supporting the safety and therapeutic potential of ETX-4143 to treat chronic ocular surface pain (COSP), a debilitating condition with no FDA-approved treatments.

In a one-year follow-up of 19 treated subjects: Treated eyes maintained improved best-corrected visual acuity, and mean pain scores for 60% of subjects remained below baseline. Corneal nerve sensitivity improved toward normal healthy adult levels at Week 8 and was maintained at one year. Safety evaluations found no adverse ocular effects, no anterior segment inflammation, no limbal cell or angle structure damage, and normal findings in treated and untreated fellow eyes.

A second study using in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) confirmed that corneal nerve metrics and ocular surface parameters were maintained after treatment. Eye pain was significantly reduced on the Visual Analog Scale (mean change −52 units, p = 0.04) and a validated patient-reported outcome instrument. Functional IVCM (Fun-IVCM) analyses showed that ETX-4143 reduced epithelial T cell motility and dendritic cell probing activity by 12 weeks post-treatment, suggestive of an immunomodulatory effect.

“In addition to providing assurance around the maintenance of corneal nerve anatomical integrity, these novel in vivo data identify the modulation of human corneal immune cell activity at 12 weeks follow-up, after a single in-office treatment. They provide exciting initial evidence for a clinical link between a reduction in ocular surface pain and sustained alterations to corneal immune cell behaviors,” said Professor Laura E. Downie, PhD, of the University of Melbourne, a chief investigator on the feasibility study.

“The one-year data are an important milestone. They demonstrate that ETX-4143 not only provides meaningful pain relief but does so while maintaining corneal nerve health, with no adverse safety findings, and hint at additional mechanisms of action,” said Ruben F. Salinas, PhD, CEO of EyeCool Therapeutics. “As we build our evidence base, the durability and safety of this approach reinforce its potential as a non-pharmacologic option for patients living with COSP.”

"What is particularly encouraging about these results is that corneal sensitivity not only did not worsen after treatment, it actually improved towards levels we typically see in healthy eyes, and that improvement appears to have sustained at one year," said Anat Galor, MD, MSPH, of Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, and lead investigator on the corneal sensitivity study. "For patients with chronic ocular surface pain who often have underlying neurosensory abnormalities, a treatment that can improve nerve function while providing meaningful pain relief addresses a critical unmet need."

Additional findings from a recently completed clinical trial in Australia are expected to be submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal and presented at future meetings.

About EyeCool’s Device (ETX-4143)

EyeCool’s lead product, ETX-4143, is an investigational device for the treatment of COSP. It is designed to be used during a 4-minute in-office procedure. The device gently cools the surface of each eye, targeting the myelinated fibers of the long ciliary nerves at the ocular surface responsible for pain signaling.

About Chronic Ocular Surface Pain

Chronic ocular surface pain (COSP) is a common ocular condition defined as having a feeling of pain or discomfort, perceived as originating from the ocular surface, that persists for more than three months. There are currently no approved treatment options for COSP.

About EyeCool Therapeutics Inc.

EyeCool Therapeutics is a clinical stage medical device company committed to innovation and novel therapies for eye care. EyeCool is focused on developing an in-clinic device to deliver fast, lasting relief for patients suffering from Chronic Ocular Surface Pain.

SOURCE EyeCool Therapeutics, Inc.

Important Safety Information

Warning: This product has not been approved or cleared for marketing by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is considered an investigational device.

For more information, please visit www.eyecooltx.com or contact:

Shri Prabha, M.S.
EyeCool Therapeutics, Inc.
news@eyecooltx.com

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