Science Corporation PRIMA retinal BCI published in NEJM — 80% of patients restored functional vision, on cover of Time
Summary
Science Corporation's landmark PRIMAvera clinical trial (NCT04676854) results were published in The New England Journal of Medicine in October 2025 and featured on the cover of Time magazine. The study enrolled 38 patients with geographic atrophy (advanced dry AMD) implanted with the PRIMA subretinal photovoltaic implant — a 2mm×2mm×30µm wireless chip that acts as artificial photoreceptors stimulating remaining retinal cells to carry visual signals to the brain. 80% of patients demonstrated meaningful improvement of visual acuity and were able to read letters, numbers, and words. The implant provides simultaneous use of central prosthetic and peripheral natural vision. Science submitted CE mark application to the EU and FDA breakthrough device designation. Following the NEJM publication, Science closed an oversubscribed $230M Series C in March 2026 to fund European commercial launch.
Why it matters
PRIMA in NEJM and Time cover is the most visible BCI commercial milestone since Neuralink's first patient. 80% of 38 blinded patients reading letters and words from a 2mm retinal chip is clinical proof that sensory BCI can restore meaningful function — not just laboratory benchmarks. The NEJM publication gives European ophthalmologists the peer-reviewed evidence to accept PRIMA as standard of care once the CE mark is granted.
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