BIRMINGHAM, England, July 7, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Healome Therapeutics (“Healome”), a University of Birmingham spinout developing a proprietary eye-drop matrix technology for ocular surface diseases, has closed a GBP£2 million oversubscribed seed financing round led by Empirical Ventures, with participation from DEBRA Research, Cure EB, Oshen Bio and existing investor SFC Capital. Proceeds will support pre-clinical development, manufacturing scale-up, regulatory engagement with the MHRA and FDA, and progression toward first-in-human studies expected in 2027.
The problem: poor retention limits eye-drop effectiveness
Conventional eye drops clear from the ocular surface in minutes, driving dosing regimens of up to 20 times per day and contributing to treatment adherence rates as low as 20% in chronic-use populations. Dry eye, the most well-known ocular surface condition, has an estimated global market size of USD$5 billion and affects over 350 million people. The broader ocular surface disease opportunity exceeds USD$12 billion across multiple indications.
The Healome solution: structured polymers, longer residence time
Healome’s eye-drop matrix behaves like a liquid when dropped on the eye, then restructures to form a clear, lubricating and protective matrix. The platform can deliver a range of drugs, from small molecules to complex biologics, and has been used to deliver an anti-scarring biologic drug in a standard pre-clinical model of severely injured and infected corneas, resulting in rapid corneal healing with minimal side-effects.
The platform is being developed for dry eye disease, ocular surface inflammation, corneal injury, rare diseases associated with severe ocular surface damage and chronic drug delivery. Healome holds five patent families covering the underlying matrix architecture, which is built on established pharmaceutical- and food-grade polymers structured into proprietary architectures, avoiding complex chemical modifications that can create manufacturing or regulatory issues.
Rare disease application: Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB)
EB is a rare genetic condition affecting approximately 500,000 people globally, of whom an estimated 5-20% experience ocular complications including chronic pain and recurrent corneal abrasions with a high risk of sight-threatening scarring. The unmet needs of patients and families living with EB were highlighted in the Netflix documentary Matter of Time. Investment from DEBRA Research and Cure EB will support Healome’s work on EB-associated ocular complications.
Founding team and origin
Healome was co-founded by Professor Liam Grover, Professor Tony Metcalfe, Dr Richard Moakes and Dr Richard Williams who serves as CEO. The team combines over 80 years’ experience across biomaterials, regenerative medicine and drug development, with six peer-reviewed publications underpinning research that originated at the University of Birmingham’s Healthcare Technologies Institute.
Richard Williams, CEO of Healome Therapeutics, said:
“Using our matrix to extend residence time of novel and existing therapeutics opens the door to reduced dosing, better adherence and ultimately improved outcomes across a range of indications. This financing lets us drive the platform toward the clinic.”
Johnathan Matlock, Co-Founder and General Partner at Empirical Ventures, said:
“Healome targets a quantifiable bottleneck – drug residence time on the ocular surface – with a manufacturing-friendly approach built on well-characterised polymers. The approach and the data, demonstrating how the team are building upon this to unlock further therapeutic value on the eye, is what convinced us this is a category-defining platform rather than an incremental formulation play, with credible read-across from dry eye through to rare ocular diseases.”
Dr. Christoph Coch, MD, Managing Director at DEBRA Research, said:
“For many people living with EB, the condition not only affects the skin but also the eyes. Blistering and wounds can occur spontaneously or be triggered by friction, dryness or irritation, often leading to severe pain, impaired vision and a significant impact on daily life. As there are currently no specific treatments for these ocular complications, we look forward to supporting Healome in their effort to develop patient-friendly and effective therapeutic approaches in this area. With this investment, we are continuing our commitment to accelerate the development of treatments that address the urgent unmet needs of people living with EB.”
Key facts
About Healome Therapeutics
Healome Therapeutics is a UK ophthalmology company developing a platform eye-drop matrix technology aiming to improve retention, lubrication, protection, healing and drug delivery on the ocular surface. www.healometx.com
About Empirical Ventures
Empirical Ventures is a UK venture capital firm investing in science-led companies with the potential for significant societal and commercial impact – from climate change and resource scarcity to accessible healthcare. www.empiricalventures.vc
About DEBRA Research
DEBRA Research funds and accelerates research aimed at delivering effective treatments for Epidermolysis Bullosa, a rare and painful genetic skin condition. www.debra-research.org
About Cure EB
Cure EB supports the development of therapies and technologies aimed at improving the lives of patients living with Epidermolysis Bullosa. www.cure-eb.org
About Oshen Bio
Oshen Holdings SA is a European-based family office investing in medtech and biotech companies with early-stage to market-ready technologies to improve longevity, quality of life and global health outcomes. www.oshenbio.com
About SFC Capital
SFC Capital is a UK early-stage investment firm providing seed capital and support to promising British startups. www.sfccapital.com
View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/healome-therapeutics-closes-2-million-seed-round-led-by-empirical-ventures-to-advance-eye-drop-matrix-technology-for-ocular-surface-diseases-302818096.html
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