Pantheon Vision has secured an additional $1.8 million in funding from KeraLink International, bringing its total funds raised to nearly $5 million.
Refresh me on Pantheon.
A pre-clinical stage medical device company based in Baltimore, Maryland, Pantheon Vision is working to develop bioengineered corneal implants to reduce the global reliance—particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICS)—on donated corneal tissues.
Its goal: to eliminate corneal blindness.
Now KeraLink.
Also based in Baltimore, KeraLink was originally founded in the 1960s as the Medical Eye Bank of Maryland.
The now-501(c)3 nonprofit sold its U.S. eye-banking assets in 2019 and was acquired by Seattle-based CorneaGen, the largest global provider of corneal tissue for transplantation.
Its current focus: using technological advancements and social venture financing solutions to make affordable and accessible corneal blindness treatments for patients (including in LMICS) in need.
Didn’t KeraLink already provide funding to Pantheon?
Good memory! Back in November 2023, the company secured $2.5 million in seed funding from KeraLink.
Which brings its total funding up to …
A whopping $4.3 million, thanks to KeraLink.
To note, though: This latest round of funding is known as a “second tranche.” Click here to read up on what that means.
And this latest installment will be used for what, exactly?
No surprise here: to advance Pantheon’s continuing development of its bioengineered corneal implants.
What do we know about these implants?
Based on the information put out by the company so far, not all that much.
However, we do know that Pantheon plans to “engage the FDA in the coming months to guide plans for global product development.”