7 Jul 2026
University of Birmingham spinout developing extended-residence ophthalmic platform raises oversubscribed seed financing with strategic participation from DEBRA Research, Cure EB and Oshen Bio.
Birmingham, UK - 7th July 2026 — Healome Therapeutics (“Healome”), a University of Birmingham spinout developing a proprietary eye-drop matrix technology for ocular surface diseases, has closed a £2 million oversubscribed seed financing round led by Empirical Ventures. DEBRA Research, Cure EB, Oshen Bio and existing investor SFC Capital also participated. Proceeds will be deployed across preclinical development, manufacturing scale-up, regulatory activities and progression toward human studies targeted for 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, leading to treatment adherence rates as low as 20% in chronic-use populations. Poor patient adherence and lack of perceived benefit further reduces overall treatment effectiveness. Dry eye - the most well-known ocular surface condition - has an estimated global market size of over USD$5 billion and affects over 350 million people worldwide. 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 it is dropped on the eye, and then restructures on the eye to form a clear, lubricating, protective matrix. The matrix can also deliver a broad range of drugs, from small molecules to complex biologics. This approach 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.
The technology is built on established pharmaceutical- and food-grade polymers structured into proprietary architectures, avoiding complex chemical modification that can create manufacturing or regulatory issues.
Rare disease application: Epidermolysis Bullosa (EB)
Investment from DEBRA Research and Cure EB will support work on EB-associated ocular complications. Epidermolysis Bullosa (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. Public awareness of EB has grown following the Netflix documentary Matter of Time, which highlighted the unmet needs faced by patients and families living with the disease.
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 Chief Executive Officer. The team has combined over 80 years of experience across biomaterials science, regenerative medicine and ophthalmic drug development and six peer-reviewed publications underpinning the platform. The underlying research originated at the University of Birmingham’s Healthcare Technologies Institute, supported by approximately £5m in non-dilutive funding.
Comments on the round
Richard Williams, CEO of Healome Therapeutics, said:
“Eye drops remain the primary delivery mechanism in ophthalmology, yet conventional formulations clear from the ocular surface within minutes. 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.”
Sharmila Collins, Founder Trustee at Cure EB, said:
“Corneal abrasions in people with severe forms of EB lead to temporary blindness, excruciating pain and the need for hourly eye drops applications throughout the day. To have an eye drop that requires less frequent dosing would improve the quality of life of those suffering the ocular manifestations of EB”
Michael Theodosiou, Portfolio Manager at SFC Capital, said:
“Having known Healome from an early stage, it was especially rewarding for SFC Capital to see the company close a well-deserved seed round. We are pleased to continue our support through follow-on funding and look forward to seeing Healome further advance its eye-drop technology for ocular surface conditions.”
What’s next
The financing will support continued preclinical development, GMP manufacturing scale-up, regulatory engagement with MHRA / FDA and progression toward first-in-human studies expected in 2027.
Key facts
Company: Healome Therapeutics
Founded: 2021
Headquarters: Birmingham, United Kingdom
Sector: Ophthalmology / ocular drug delivery
Round: Seed (oversubscribed)
Amount raised: £2,000,000
Lead investor: Empirical Ventures
Participating investors: DEBRA Research, Cure EB, Oshen Bio and existing investor SFC Capital
Founders: Prof. Liam Grover, Prof. Tony Metcalfe, Dr Richard Moakes, Dr Richard Williams (CEO)
Origin: University of Birmingham spinout
Use of proceeds: Preclinical development, manufacturing scale-up, regulatory activities, IND-enabling studies
First-in-human target: 2027
Intellectual property: Patents granted in Japan South Korea, pending in all major markets .
Website: www.healometx.com
About Healome Therapeutics
Healome Therapeutics is a UK biotechnology company developing eye-drop matrix technology for ocular surface disease. The platform is designed to improve retention, lubrication, protection, healing and drug delivery on the ocular surface. Spun out of the University of Birmingham, Healome combines expertise in biomaterials, regenerative medicine, ophthalmology and translational science. For more information, visit 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. For more information, visit 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. For more information, visit www.debra-research.org
About Cure EB
Cure EB is dedicated to finding effective treatments and a cure for Epidermolysis Bullosa, through targeted funding and collaboration. For more information, visit www.cure-eb.org
About Oshen Bio
Oshen Holdings SA is a European-based family office that partners with inventors and visionary teams developing novel and disruptive technologies shaping the future of better ageing. With a strategic focus on medtech and biotech, Oshen invests across the full company lifecycle - from early-stage innovation through to market-ready opportunities - backing transformative solutions that improve longevity, quality of life and global health outcomes. For more information, visit www.oshenbio.com
About SFC Capital
SFC Capital is the UK's most active seed-stage investor, providing seed capital and support to promising British startups. By combining our leading investment funds with our angel syndicate, we have created a unique model that provides investors with diversified exposure to high-potential SEIS and EIS-qualifying businesses. For more information, www.sfccapital.com
Media contact
Richard Williams, CEO,