Pantheon Vision has secured $2.5 million in seed funding to support the development of a bioengineered corneal implant.
Let’s start with the company.
Based in Baltimore, Maryland, this early research-stage medical ophthalmic device company is focused on creating an advanced bioengineered solution aiming to potentially eliminate global corneal blindness.
The goal: to reduce reliance on donated corneal tissues—often unavailable in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)—in order to address corneal blindness.
Who founded it?
The company is led by CEO John Sheets, PhD, a veteran of the ophthalmic industry who previously held leadership positions at Stealth Therapeutics and HOYA Surgical Optics along with research and development roles at Bausch + Lomb and Alcon.
He also served as a director of the FDA’s Office of Device Evaluation.
Gotcha. And this financing?
First off, “seed” funding is considered the first official equity funding stage a start-up raises to initiate business operations.
In the case of Pantheon, the nonprofit organization KeraLink International (also Baltimore-based) provided the seed capital.
What kind of nonprofit is KeraLink?
Originally founded in 1962 as the Medical Eye Bank of Maryland, the 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.
Since then, it has shifted its focus to using technological advancements and social venture financing solutions with the goal to make corneal blindness treatment both affordable and accessible to patients in need (specifically in LMICs).
Okay, so what do we know about this implant?
Aside from being a bioengineered corneal implant, no further information has been publicly disclosed yet.
According to Pantheon though, the company is planning to “engage the FDA in the coming months to guide plans for global product development.”
What if I have more questions?
Reach out to Pantheon directly by clicking here.