Healome Therapeutics raises £2m led by Empirical Ventures and DEBRA Research
This article covers Healome Therapeutics, a University of Birmingham biotech startup, which has closed an oversubscribed £2m seed funding round led by Empirical Ventures to advance an extended-residence eye-drop matrix and progress toward first-in-human studies targeted for 2027. The funding will support preclinical development, GMP manufacturing scale-up and regulatory engagement to improve drug retention on the ocular surface for conditions such as dry eye and rare, sight‑threatening complications of epidermolysis bullosa.
Healome Therapeutics, a University of Birmingham biotech startup, has closed an oversubscribed seed funding round of £2 million led by Empirical Ventures to advance an extended-residence eye-drop matrix aimed at improving drug retention on the ocular surface. The financing will fund preclinical work, GMP manufacturing scale-up, regulatory engagement and progression toward first-in-human studies targeted for 2027, a step that matters for common conditions such as dry eye and for rare, sight-threatening complications of epidermolysis bullosa.
Why it matters
Conventional eye drops typically clear from the ocular surface within minutes, driving frequent dosing that undermines adherence and reduces real-world effectiveness. Dry eye affects an estimated 350 million people worldwide and represents a market of more than USD 5 billion, while the broader ocular surface disease opportunity exceeds USD 12 billion across multiple indications. For a subset of patients with rare conditions such as epidermolysis bullosa (EB), ocular complications can cause recurrent corneal abrasions, chronic pain and sight-threatening scarring. A formulation that extends residence time could reduce dosing frequency, improve adherence and expand what therapeutics can be delivered topically.
Inside the product
Healome’s technology is an eye-drop matrix that behaves like a liquid on administration and then restructures on the eye to form a transparent, lubricating matrix. The platform is claimed to support delivery of payloads ranging from small molecules to complex biologics and has been used in preclinical models to deliver an anti-scarring biologic that promoted rapid corneal healing with minimal side effects.
The company says the matrix is built from pharmaceutical- and food-grade polymers structured into proprietary architectures, avoiding complex chemical modification that can complicate manufacturing or regulation. Healome holds five patent families, with patents granted in Japan and South Korea and filings pending in major markets. The platform is being developed for dry eye, ocular surface inflammation, corneal injury, rare disease-associated damage and chronic drug delivery.
Healome’s research originated at the University of Birmingham’s Healthcare Technologies Institute and benefited from about £5 million in non-dilutive funding. The first-in-human studies are targeted for 2027.
Who are the investors?
The £2 million seed round was led by Empirical Ventures, with strategic participation from DEBRA Research and Cure EB, plus Oshen Bio and existing investor SFC Capital. The round was described as oversubscribed and will be used for preclinical development, manufacturing scale-up, regulatory activities with MHRA and FDA engagement, and IND-enabling studies.
Empirical Ventures is a UK VC focused on science-led companies and led the round on the basis of Healome’s manufacturing-friendly approach and preclinical data. DEBRA Research and Cure EB are patient-focused organisations funding research into epidermolysis bullosa; their participation signals targeted support for the company’s EB-related work. Oshen Bio is a family-office investor with a medtech and biotech focus. SFC Capital is an active UK seed-stage investor that had backed Healome previously.
In the announcement, 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.
In the announcement, 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.
In the announcement, 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
In the announcement, 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.
If you're researching potential backers in this space:
- Explore our list of biotech venture capital firms in the UK
- Browse our directory of biotech angel investors in the UK
Founder perspective
Healome was co-founded by Professor Liam Grover, Professor Tony Metcalfe, Dr Richard Moakes and Dr Richard Williams, who serves as CEO. The team brings more than 80 years of combined experience across biomaterials, regenerative medicine and ophthalmic drug development, and the platform is supported by six peer-reviewed publications.
In the announcement, 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.
The bigger picture
The round is another example of university spinouts drawing seed-stage capital in the UK biotech ecosystem, with investors prepared to back platform technologies that aim to de-risk downstream development by using well-characterised materials and manufacturing-friendly approaches. The involvement of DEBRA Research and Cure EB highlights a trend in which patient groups and disease-specific funders are taking a more active role in early-stage funding for targeted rare disease interventions. The clinical and regulatory pathway will require engagement with MHRA and FDA as Healome advances toward human trials in 2027, a timetable that will test the platform’s translatability from animal models to patient benefit.
This deal adds to a steady flow of early-stage biotech financing across the UK and Europe, underscoring continued interest from biotech investors in technologies that can improve drug delivery and patient adherence while addressing both common and rare ocular conditions.
They've invested in Healome Therapeutics
Get to know these biotech investors
| Investors | Investment Focus | Startup Investments | Round Size | Connect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Empirical Ventures( ) Empirical is a specialist VC and venture builder based in Europe, focusing on ea... Bristol  | ||||
 Oshen Bio( ) | ||||
 SFC Capital( ) SFC Capital is a venture capital firm that focuses on investing in early-stage t... London | ||||
| All investors | All investor sectors | All funded startups | All funding rounds |
Click here for a full list of 7,589+ startup investors in the UK