Proceeds will be used to assemble and develop a diversified pipeline of therapies to address sight-threatening illnesses.
EyeBio, an ophthalmology-focused biotechnology firm with operations in the U.K. and the U.S., has successfully raised $65 million from a Series A funding round to support efforts to develop novel therapies for various eye diseases.
Founded in August 2021 by Dr. David Guyer and Dr. Anthony Adamis, EyeBio’s mission is to create products that will help protect, restore and improve vision for the largely underserved demographic suffering from eye diseases. Proceeds will be used to assemble and develop a diversified pipeline of therapies to address sight-threatening illnesses.
Co-founders Guyer and Adamis bring extensive experience to this new company, having collaborated with funding lead SV Health Investors previously to co-found Eyetech Pharmaceuticals which produced the first anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) drug in 2005 to treat age-related macular degeneration.
“Patients and physicians deserve new and better solutions, which is why this team of serial disruptors has banded together to form EyeBio. We are launching at an exciting time, and we are equipped with the resources to make a significant impact,” noted Guyer in a statement.
Guyer serves as the company’s president and chief executive officer, while Adamis serves as director and chair of the EyeBio advisory board. Before co-founding EyeBio, Guyer was the executive chairman and CEO of Iveric Bio, a biopharmaceutical company that develops treatments for retinal diseases. Adamis used to be the senior vice president of development innovation at Genentech, which is part of The Roche Group, and is credited for having overseen as many as 25 U.S. Food and Drug Administration approvals throughout his career.
“EyeBio is well-positioned to improve outcomes for patients by addressing a segment of ophthalmology that needs further innovation. It has the talent, skillset, and willingness to introduce new solutions to address familiar problems,” added Adamis in the same press release.
Aside from SV Health Investors, the other companies that funded the Series A are Samsara BioCapital, Jeito Capital and MRL Ventures. The firm’s leadership team includes Sarah Milsom as chief operating officer, Jonathan Prenner, M.D., as chief medical officer, Divya Chadha Manek, OBE, as senior vice president of clinical development, Paul Stephens, Ph.D., as senior vice president of chemistry, manufacturing and controls and Sam Smart as vice president of finance.
SV Health Investors managing partner Kate Bingham sits as chairman of the board of directors. Prior to this role, she served as the chairperson for the U.K. Vaccine Taskforce.
Bingham had this to say about SV’s latest investment: “EyeBio is a perfect example of SV’s strategy to build world-class companies around emerging science to deliver high-impact drugs to patients. The transatlantic team gives us access to the best of clinical development in the U.K. as well as the U.S. I’m thrilled to have the team back together.”
