Strengthening donor cornea tissue to prevent transplant failure

Plain-English translation of NCT06753916 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated April 2026 · Translation generated August 2026 · How we translate trials

Phase 2 — Testing in a bigger group (up to a few hundred people) to see if the treatment actually works and is still safe.

What is this trial?

This trial is testing a new way to prepare donor cornea tissue before transplant surgery. The medication being tested—Photrexa Viscous and Photrexa—is a vitamin B2-based solution combined with UV light that strengthens the donor tissue. Researchers want to see if this treatment makes cornea transplants more successful in patients whose eyes have developed problematic new blood vessel growth, which puts them at higher risk of transplant failure.

Cornea transplants sometimes fail, especially in patients whose eyes have developed new blood vessels in response to previous transplants or injury. This medication is designed to make donor tissue more stable and resistant to rejection, which could help prevent another transplant failure.

Do you qualify?

You likely qualify if…

you are 18 years old or older
you need a cornea transplant and have new blood vessel growth in your cornea (a sign of high-risk transplant)
you are willing to attend follow-up visits for 24 months after your transplant
you can provide written informed consent and follow study instructions

You likely don't qualify if…

you have Stevens-Johnson syndrome or ocular pemphigoid (serious eye-related conditions)
you have an eye or eyelid cancer
you have uncontrolled glaucoma
you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or a pre-menopausal woman not using reliable contraception
you have had an eye infection within 30 days before the study or active eye inflammation within 90 days

What participation looks like

You will undergo cornea transplant surgery where your damaged cornea is replaced with donor tissue. Half of participants will receive tissue treated with the vitamin B2-based medication and UV light; the other half will receive untreated tissue (neither you nor your doctor will know which you receive). After surgery, you will have follow-up visits over 24 months so doctors can monitor your transplant for any side effects and measure how well it's working.

AI-generated summary from trial data · Aug 29, 2026 · Not medical advice

Trial locations(12 sites)

United States

University of California Irvine - Gavin Herbert Eye Institute, Irvine, California

The University of California Los Angeles - Doris Stein Eye Research Center, Los Angeles, California

University of California San Francisco - Wayne and Gladys Valley Center for Vision, San Francisco, California

University of Miami - Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, Miami, Florida

Price Vision Group, Indianapolis, Indiana