
The Opportunity: BioLattice Ophthalmics, Inc. is raising $2.0 Million to cure corneal blindness for patients around the world (Women, Minority, and Veteran Owned)
Last Updated : Jun 03 2024
The Opportunity: BioLattice Ophthalmics, Inc. is raising $2.0 Million to cure corneal blindness for patients around the world (Women, Minority, and Veteran Owned)
The Opportunity: BioLattice Ophthalmics, Inc. is raising $2.0 Million to cure corneal blindness for patients around the world (Women, Minority, and Veteran Owned)
Details: BioLattice is helping people with corneal blindness to see again. Globally, for every 70 patients in need of cornea only one receives it due to the perishability of donor cornea tissue. Sadly, those who can receive and tolerate donor cornea experience increased rejection rates over time, up to ~%50 by year 15. BioLattice is creating a better solution: a biocompatible off-the-shelf material to replace cloudy or mis-shaped cornea tissue. BioLattice’s engineered cornea would be customized to provide proper visual acuity, yield a natural postoperative aesthetic, be implanted using standard surgical procedures, and reduce the risk of immune rejection. To date, we have secured funding from NSF SBIR Phase 1 Grant, IndieBio NYC through SOSV Fund, AIZ PA Grant, Phirst Market Ventures, and Pitch Competitions in Philadelphia and Delaware.
BioLattice is raising $2.0 Million to support 2025 US FDA filings and associated studies. For further information and investment inquiries, contact Linda Alunkal at alunkal@biolatticetech.com (Co-founder and COO).
Globally almost 13 million are on a donor cornea tissue waiting list. Those who receive donor cornea tissue risk a 10% chance of implant failure within year 1; the chances of rejection rise to about 50% by year 15. Available artificial corneas are limited by risks including glaucoma, infection, detachment from the eye, and opacification.
CorneaClearTM is a substitute for donor cornea in penetrating keratoplasty (full thickness cornea replacement). It is being designed to look, function, and be surgically implanted like donor cornea with the enhanced ability to correct vision for the patient in one procedure. The technology is in the preclinical stage.
Our engineered cornea presents these advantages: 1. Ability to fuse with the adjacent ocular tissue like donor cornea, 2. Closely matches the mechanical properties of donor cornea (possibly reducing the risk of glaucoma associated with current keratoprosthesis use), 3. Presents a natural aesthetic, and 4. Restores and corrects vision in one step. This is our competitive advantage to currently marketed keratoprosthesis solutions.
Artificial corneas can restore sight to millions. Worldwide, two million people per year suffer from blindness due to cornea damage or disease, and only one cornea is available for every 70 patients in need. A true alternative to donor cornea is currently not clinically available. Our innovation, CorneaClearTM aims at providing a true alternative to donor cornea, as it will have full ocular compatibility and will be implantable with the same techniques applied to implant donor cornea tissue. In addition, it will be stable at room temperature and will eliminate risks of immune graft rejection.
We are developing partnerships with potential technology licensees and multiple contract organizations (i.e. manufacturing, sales, and distribution) to market engineered cornea. Revenue generating strategies include 1) corporate co-development and sales and 2) BioLattice development through clinical trials followed by direct sales. We will influence sales with product demonstrations, conference presentations, and scientific publications.
There is no marketed equivalent to donor cornea for penetrating keratoplasty. Boston KPro Type 1, the leading KPro used in the US, is a last resort option for sight restoration and requires the use of donor cornea. As with multiple lesser used KPros, it is associated with glaucoma, infection, inflammation, extrusion and opacification. CorNeat KPro is in a clinical trial. It is a last resort option with a non-standard surgical procedure.
Our engineered cornea has two markets:
1. Patients who would benefit from a biocompatible cornea transplant material = approximately 100,000 annually receiving full thickness corneal replacement
2. Patients without access to cornea tissue = 13 million on corneal tissue waiting list
We will initiate sales in the USA, Canada and Europe. In those regions combined, 29,000 patients annually can use our device. Next, we will pursue sales in India and China where there are 7 and 2 million patients, respectively, who can use our device. Customers will be acquired via contracted marketing.
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