Iantrek Advances New AlloSpan™ Canal into U.S. Site Evaluations, Expanding Its Bio-Interventional Platform

Controlled early clinical adoption begins across select U.S. centers as Iantrek accelerates toward commercialization of its next-generation canal-based restoration technology

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., March 31, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Iantrek, Inc., a pioneer and leader in bio-interventional ophthalmic surgery (BIOS), today announced the introduction and US controlled release plan for AlloSpan Canal, a novel bio-reinforced canal restoration platform. The milestone marks a critical step toward commercialization and reflects continued expansion of Iantrek’s bio-interventional Allo^™ platform targeting natural outflow restoration.

AlloSpan Canal represents a next-generation approach to trabecular intervention, designed to overcome the historical tradeoff between transient viscoelastic canaloplasty and permanent synthetic implants. By combining nitinol-guided canaloplasty with durable biological reinforcement,^1,2,3 the technology is designed to restore and maintain Schlemm’s canal without leaving synthetic hardware in the eye.

“The goal is to rehabilitate trabecular outflow, which is significantly diminished in patients with glaucoma, through a TM-sparing, minimally invasive approach that restores and maintains Schlemm’s canal,” said Sean Ianchulev, MD, MPH, Professor of Ophthalmology at New York Eye and Ear and Founder of Iantrek. “Bio-reinforced canaloplasty, as enabled by AlloSpan Canal, combines nitinol-based canal intervention with allogeneic biological scaffolding to achieve durable restoration of the canal in a way that is both structurally supportive and biologically integrated.”

Dr. Ianchulev will unveil the technology at the 2026 Kelman Innovation Lecture at the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) Annual Meeting.

A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

Redefining Canal-Based Intervention

Glaucoma remains a leading cause of irreversible vision loss,⁴ driven by impaired aqueous humor drainage and the resulting elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP). Approximately 500,000 MIGS procedures performed annually in the United States target trabecular outflow, yet surgeons have historically been forced to choose between minimally disruptive canaloplasty procedures that provide transient expansion or permanent implants intended to maintain canal patency.^5,6

AlloSpan Canal combines a trabecular meshwork-sparing, nitinol-guided canaloplasty with placement of a retained, naturally expanding scleral bio-implant composed of homologous tissue. The implant reinforces canal architecture and maintains outflow without leaving synthetic hardware in the eye. AlloSpan Canal is FDA-registered minimally manipulated, homologous use HCT/P and aligned with an established Category I procedural code.

“For years, canal-based surgery has been constrained by a forced tradeoff between temporary and permanent procedural offerings. We believe that constraint is going away. Canal intervention is now positioned to evolve from a procedural trade-off into a durable, restorative treatment strategy” said Adam Szaronos, Chief Executive Officer of Iantrek. “This unmet need is what AlloSpan Canal is designed to enable as we extend our bio-interventional approach to the primary outflow pathway.”

Following successful first-in-human cases outside the United States, Iantrek is initiating a controlled early access program of AlloSpan Canal across a select number of U.S. clinical sites. Clinical data will be gathered from these initial cases to support surgeon experience, procedural refinement, and real-world performance insights ahead of broader commercialization planned for 2027.

“We’ve had ways to dilate the canal and ways to scaffold it with hardware,” said Arkadiy Yadgarov, M.D. “This is the first time I’ve seen an approach that dilates the canal and reinforces it biologically. Retaining canal restoration without synthetic hardware is a compelling concept and opens a new chapter for all surgeons performing angle surgery.”

About Iantrek

Iantrek, Inc. (www.iantrekmed.com) is a pioneer and leader in bio-interventional ophthalmic surgery (BIOS), developing a portfolio of surgical technologies designed to restore natural ocular outflow pathways through biologic reinforcement rather than bypass or tissue removal. With the launch of AlloFlo Uveo in October 2025 and the U.S. introduction of AlloSpan Canal, Iantrek will be the only organization offering complementary surgical solutions targeting both natural outflow pathways—enabling a more comprehensive and physiologic approach to glaucoma intervention over the course of the disease. For more information, visit iantrekmed.com.

Media Contact
Amy Phillips
MediaInquiries@iantrekmed.com

References

1. De Francesco T, Ianchulev T, Rhee DJ, Gentile RC, Pasquale LR, Ahmed IIK. The Evolving Surgical Paradigm of Scleral Allograft Bio-Tissue Use in Ophthalmic Surgery: Techniques and Clinical Indications for Ab-Externo and Ab-Interno Scleral Reinforcement. Clin Ophthalmol. 2024 Jun 21;18:1789-1795. doi: 10.2147/OPTH.S462719. PMID: 38919403; PMCID: PMC11198013.
2. Boote C, Sigal IA, Grytz R, Hua Y, Nguyen TD, Girard MJA. Scleral structure and biomechanics. Prog Retin Eye Res. 2020;74:100773. PMID: 31412277; PMCID: PMC7187923. doi: 10.1016/j.preteyeres.2019.100773
3. Elsheikh A, Geraghty B, Alhasso D, Knappett J, Campanelli M, Rama P. Regional variation in the biomechanical properties of the human sclera. Exp Eye Res. 2010;90(5):624–633. PMID: 20219460. doi: 10.1016/j.exer.2010.02.010
4. Si Z, Fan Y, et. al. Global, regional, and national burden of low vision and blindness due to glaucoma, 1990-2021, and projections to 2050: a systematic analysis of glaucoma. Published October 2025. PMID: 41147722. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41147722/
5. Jabłońska J, Lewczuk K, et. al. Microinvasive glaucoma surgery: a review and classification of implant-dependent procedures and techniques. Acta Ophthalmol. 2022;100(2):e327-e338. doi:10.1111/aos.14906. PMID: 33988310. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33988310/
6. Vinod K, Gedde SJ. Safety profile of minimally invasive glaucoma surgery. Curr Opin Ophthalmol. 2021;32(2):160-168. doi:10.1097/ICU.0000000000000731. PMID: 33315726. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33315726/
7. AlloSpan Scleral Bio-Scaffold In-vitro Expansion. REP-1194 Rev A. Data on File. Iantrek, Inc.; 2026.
   

AlloSpan^™ Canal naturally expands on average by ~2.5x with hydration in the canal and is tailored to retain canal restoration and dilation. ⁷

Legal Disclaimer:

EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.