#United Kingdom #Birmingham #eye treatment #Healome Therapeutics #Empirical Ventures

Healome Therapeutics Closes £2 Million Seed Funding for Ocular Innovations

Healome Therapeutics, a pioneering spin-off from the University of Birmingham, has successfully raised £2 million in a seed funding round to enhance its innovative eye drop matrix technology. This funding was led by Empirical Ventures, with additional participation from DEBRA Research, Cure EB, Oshen Bio, and existing investor SFC Capital. The funds will be allocated to preclinical development, scaling production capacity, securing regulatory approvals from the MHRA and FDA, as well as preparing for its first human trials slated for 2027.

The Challenge of Current Eye Drops

Traditional eye drops tend to wash away from the eye's surface within minutes. This limitation necessitates frequent dosing—sometimes up to 20 times a day—leading to poor treatment adherence, which can drop as low as 20% among patients requiring long-term care. One prevalent condition, dry eye syndrome, represents a global market estimated at $5 billion, affecting over 350 million people worldwide. The entire global market for ocular surface diseases exceeds $12 billion across all indications.

Healome's Innovative Solution

Healome's eye drop matrix behaves like a liquid upon instillation but restructures to form a clear, lubricating, and protective matrix. This system allows for the delivery of a wide array of medications—from small molecules to complex biological products. It has already been successfully tested in a preclinical model for severely damaged corneas, facilitating rapid healing with minimal side effects. This platform is being developed specifically for treating dry eye, ocular surface inflammation, corneal injuries, and rare diseases affecting the ocular surface, as well as for the extended delivery of various medications.

Providing a scientifically sound foundation for this approach, Healome holds five families of patents that cover its matrix architecture. These patents rely on well-characterized pharmaceutical-grade and food-grade polymers organized in unique structures, circumventing complex chemical modifications that could lead to manufacturing challenges or regulatory compliance issues.

Addressing Rare Diseases: Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB)

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a rare genetic disorder affecting about 500,000 people globally, with approximately 5 to 20% suffering from ocular complications, including chronic pain and recurrent corneal erosions that significantly heighten the risk of scarring and potential vision loss. The unaddressed needs of EB patients and their families have been highlighted in the Netflix documentary "Matter of Time." Support from DEBRA Research and Cure EB will propel Healome's work addressing eye complications associated with EB.

Founding Team and Vision

Healome was co-founded by a distinguished team including Professor Liam Grover, Professor Tony Metcalfe, Dr. Richard Moakes, and Dr. Richard Williams, who serves as the CEO. Collectively, the founding team boasts over 80 years of experience in biomaterials, regenerative medicine, and drug development, solidified by six peer-reviewed publications stemming from research conducted at the health technology institute at the University of Birmingham.

Richard Williams, Healome's CEO, expressed enthusiasm about the funding: "Using our matrix to prolong the residence time of innovative and existing treatments paves the way for reduced dosing, better adherence to treatment regimens, and ultimately improved outcomes across a wide set of indications. This funding empowers us to push our platform into the clinical phase."

Johnathan Matlock, co-founder and general partner at Empirical Ventures, remarked on Healome's potential, saying, "Healome tackles a quantifiable bottleneck—the residence time of drugs on the ocular surface—through a manufacturing-friendly approach based on well-characterized polymers. It's this approach and the data showing how the team leverages it to further exploit therapeutic potential in the ophthalmic field that convinced us this is a revolutionary platform, not just a simple formulation improvement, with credible application prospects ranging from dry eye to rare ocular diseases."

Dr. Christoph Coch, physician and general director of DEBRA Research, highlighted the complexities of EB, stating, "For many with EB, the condition affects not just the skin but also the eyes. Blisters and wounds can appear spontaneously or be triggered by friction, dryness, or irritation; these often lead to intense pain, vision impairment, and significant impacts on daily life. As there is currently no specific treatment for these ocular complications, we are eager to support Healome's efforts to develop effective therapeutic approaches for patients in this area. This investment continues our commitment to accelerating the development of treatments addressing the urgent and unmet needs of individuals with EB."

Company Highlights

• - Company: Healome Therapeutics
• - Founded: 2021
• - Headquarters: Birmingham, United Kingdom
• - Sector: Ophthalmology / Ocular Delivery Systems
• - Founders: Professor Liam Grover, Professor Tony Metcalfe, Dr. Richard Moakes, Dr. Richard Williams
• - Funding Raised: £2,000,000 (oversubscribed)
• - Lead Investor: Empirical Ventures
• - Additional Investors: DEBRA Research, Cure EB, Oshen Bio, SFC Capital
• - Target for First Human Use: 2027
• - Intellectual Property: Patents granted in Japan and South Korea; applications pending in all major markets

About Healome Therapeutics

Healome Therapeutics is a UK-based ophthalmology company focused on developing a matrix technology for eye drops designed to enhance retention, lubrication, protection, healing, and the administration of treatments to the ocular surface. For more information, visit www.healometx.com.

About Empirical Ventures

Empirical Ventures is a UK-based venture capital firm investing in science-focused companies that promise significant societal and commercial impact, whether concerning climate change, resource scarcity, or access to healthcare. More at www.empiricalventures.vc.

About DEBRA Research

DEBRA Research funds and accelerates research efforts aimed at developing effective treatments for epidermolysis bullosa, a rare and painful genetic skin condition. Find out more at www.debra-research.org.

About Cure EB

Cure EB supports the development of treatments and technologies aimed at improving the quality of life for patients with epidermolysis bullosa. Visit www.cure-eb.org for more information.

About Oshen Bio

Oshen Holdings SA is a European family office investing in medical technology and biotechnology companies. Their technologies, whether at an early stage or ready for market, aim to improve longevity, quality of life, and health outcomes worldwide. More about them at www.oshenbio.com.

About SFC Capital

SFC Capital is a UK investment firm specializing in seed-stage investments, providing seed capital and mentorship to promising UK startups. Find more about SFC at www.sfccapital.com.