BIOPHTA, a preclinical biotech company developing a game-changing technology for the treatment of eye diseases, has just closed a 鈧�6.5m Seed round to bring its patented technology to clinical development. This funding round was led by leading European VCs 鈥� UI Investissement (via the Pertinence Invest 2 Fund, advised by M茅rieux Equity Partners), Elaia, and GO Capital 鈥� as well as one major ophthalmology player, Unither 色界吧s, and HTL Biotechnology, the global leader in the production and development of pharma-grade biopolymers.
With a first program in the treatment of Glaucoma (Phase 1 in 2025, $8.7bn market) and a second program in Macular Edema (Phase 1 in 2026, $9.6bn market), BIOPHTA is currently targeting the two leading causes of blindness.
Compliance is the #1 unmet medical need in ophthalmology
Each year, approximately 1.3 million people worldwide become blind, and another 36 million become severely visually impaired. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 1 billion of the world鈥檚 cases of vision impairment could be prevented by adhering to currently available treatment regimens of self-administered daily eye drops or invasive intraocular injections.聽However, the under-treatment rate in ophthalmology is still high, with about half of the patients not adhering to their treatment regimens for eye diseases.
BIOPHTA overcomes adherence issues encountered with traditional eye drops as well as the high cost and invasiveness of frequent and painful intraocular injections. With this unique topical, non-invasive and self-administered therapy that provides continuous drug microdosing for seven days, BIOPHTA improves the efficacy of eye treatments.
Breakthrough biopolymers technology that releases drugs into the eye
BIOPHTA has developed a new standard of care for ocular diseases based on its聽鈥渢丑颈辞尘别谤鈥澛�biopolymers technological platform, with a strong intellectual property position. BIOPHTA鈥檚 ophthalmic insert (3mm diameter mini-tablet) is simply placed on the surface of the eye as easily as a contact lens. Once applied, BIOPHTA鈥檚 ophthalmic insert transforms into a hydrogel pellet that stays in place on the eye without moving, and delivers a continuous and controlled low dose of drug for 7 days. It鈥檚 the first time a therapy has such innovative technological features to disrupt both front-of-the-eye and retina treatments.
鈥淲ith this funding, we are taking a major step towards the clinical validation of our technology聽in Glaucoma and then in Macular Edema. Our ambition does not stop here, and we remain fully dedicated to bringing sight-saving therapies to all patients in need of simple and efficient treatments,鈥澛爏aid Jean Garrec, founder and CEO of BIOPHTA.聽鈥淥ur Seed investors syndicate brings not only the financial resources, but also complementary expertise and networks that will help structure the company. They will play a critical role in our development.鈥�
The consortium of VCs with UI Investissement (via the Pertinence Invest 2 Fund, advised by M茅rieux Equity Partners), Elaia and GO Capital commented: 鈥淭he technology developed by BIOPHTA is truly a game changer for the millions of patients worldwide who struggle with inadequate treatments for their eye diseases. Our VC syndicate is excited to support BIOPHTA鈥檚 growth.鈥�
鈥淲e are delighted to support BIOPHTA and聽bring our respective expertise to this disruptive innovation in ophthalmology, which will improve patients鈥� lives,鈥澛爏tated聽Fran莽ois Fournier, CEO of HTL Biotechnology聽and聽Eric Goupil, CEO of Unither 色界吧s.