World’s First 3D Bioprinted Corneal Implant Successfully Implanted in Phase 1 Patient

For the first time anywhere in the world, a corneal implant grown entirely in a lab and printed from living human cells has been transplanted into a human patient. The procedure was performed at Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa, Israel, and is a major moment not only for ophthalmology but for the entire field of bioprinting.

The patient, who was legally blind in the treated eye, received the 3D bioprinted implant as part of Precise Bio’s Phase 1 clinical trial. According to the hospital’s team, the procedure “went smoothly” and “early signs of healing look promising.”

“For the first time, in history, at Rambam Health Care Campus, a lab-grown corneal graft was transplanted into a human patient,” wrote surgeon Dr. Michael Mimouni in a post celebrating the milestone.“A technology that may restore blindness to hundreds of thousands of blind patients who do not have access to cornea tissue.”

Mimouni also pointed out that this moment was the result of a team effort alongside David Zadok, Cataract Surgeon and Director of the Ophthalmology Department at the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem, and Eitan Livny, Head of the Cornea unit at the Rabin Medical Center, as well as the wider Rambam surgical and research staff, all of whom played key roles in making the procedure possible.

Meanwhile, Rambam Health Care called the surgery “a world first” and shared that the implant was made entirely from living human cells — not donor tissue — engineered into a transparent, layered structure meant to mimic a natural cornea.

One of the most striking details is that Precise Bio expanded a single donor cornea into 300 printed implants, turning one gift into hundreds. This is crucial for regions with chronic donor shortages, and the implications could be enormous.

Why This Matters

Corneal blindness affects more than 13 million people worldwide. Even in countries with good healthcare systems, donor corneas are still hard to find. Donor corneas also vary a lot in quality because they depend on the donor’s age and health. And since the tissue is delicate and expires quickly, even preserving and transporting it is a challenge.

If 3D bioprinted corneas demonstrate that they are safe and effective, hospitals could eventually carry their own supply of “ready-to-use implants, frozen and available on demand.” That means a patient wouldn’t wait months or years; they could be scheduled as soon as their surgeon is ready. Without a doubt, this is the type of impact that bioprinting has always promised; it’s about making these tissues easier to get, something patients don’t have to worry about anymore, and that would mean ‘no more waits.’

Inside the Technology

Precise Bio’s method combines human corneal endothelial cells, biomaterials, and a robotic 3D bio-fabrication system that prints the tissue in precise layers so it behaves like a natural cornea. The result is PB-001, a thin, flexible implant that can be rolled, inserted through a small incision, and then “unfurled into place.” It’s inserted into the eye the same way surgeons already place today’s corneal grafts, rolled up, slipped in through a tiny incision, and then gently unfolded into place.

The cornea was made at Precise Bio’s facility in Sheba Medical Center. They handle everything in-house, including the cell prep, printing, and freezing, so every implant comes out the same.

“This achievement marks a turning point for regenerative ophthalmology—a moment of real hope for millions living with corneal blindness,” said Aryeh Batt, Co-Founder and CEO of Precise Bio. “Imagine a world where a single donor cornea can give rise to hundreds of lab-grown implants, transforming scarcity into abundance.”

Although it’s still early in clinical testing, Precise Bio has been one of the most ambitious companies in bioprinting. Co-founded by Dr. Anthony Atala of the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, the team has spent more than 10 years developing a bioprinting platform focused on eye tissues. And it’s not surprising that Atala’s company is behind this breakthrough; he and his lab have led many of the field’s major advances, including early work on printed organs and bioengineered tissues.

Atala added, “This is a defining moment for the future of regenerative medicine. PB-001 has the potential to offer a new, standardized solution to one of ophthalmology’s most urgent needs – reliable, safe, and effective corneal replacement. The ability to produce patient-ready tissue on demand could lead the way towards reshaping transplant medicine as we know it.”

PB-001 is only the first program. Precise Bio is also exploring printed tissues for other parts of the eye and has longer-term plans to extend its platform to additional organ systems. What makes the company stand out is that it does everything in-house: it grows the cells, prints the tissue, lets it mature, freezes it, and ships it — all under strict medical-grade standards. This corneal implant is the first big test of that system, and now it has its first successful patient.

Where This Fits in Bioprinting

Bioprinting has been moving toward real medical use for years, with progress in areas like printed skin patches, cartilage repairs, airway scaffolds, and small tissues for research. But corneas are on a completely different level. They have to be crystal clear, strong, and able to function like the real thing, which leaves very little room for error. That’s why this milestone stands out. And Precise Bio isn’t the only group making progress. In the last few years, CollPlant has advanced its bioink based on plant-grown collagen and is pursuing printed tissues for ophthalmology and soft-tissue repair. Regennova and Pandorum have been developing printed corneal scaffolds in Asia and India. 3D Systems and United Therapeutics continue work on printed lungs and airway tissues, laying groundwork for future organ-scale manufacturing. And not to mention the countless research groups worldwide working toward printed skin, retinal tissues, and vascularized grafts.

The Phase 1 trial will treat up to 15 patients, mainly to check safety and look for early signs that the implant works. Rambam’s team is watching the first patient closely, and Dr. Mimouni says the early results look promising. After this stage, the process continues with more patients, Phase 2 and Phase 3 trials, and then regulatory review.