Retinal Degeneration Fund

Retinal Degeneration Fund is a not-for-profit venture capital fund based in Raleigh, North Carolina, established in 2018 as a subsidiary of the Foundation Fighting Blindness. The fund focuses on accelerating life-changing outcomes for individuals affected by retinal degenerations by making mission-related investments in companies that develop therapeutic technologies for inherited retinal diseases and macular degeneration. Through its venture philanthropy approach, the Retinal Degeneration Fund aims to support innovative solutions that address the challenges faced by those with these conditions.

Rusty Kelley

Managing Director

5 past transactions

Nacuity Pharmaceuticals

Series B in 2022
Nacuity Pharmaceuticals, based in Fort Worth, Texas, is a biotechnology company focused on developing innovative treatments for retinitis pigmentosa and other ophthalmological disorders. Established in 2016, the company is dedicated to addressing ocular oxidative stress and aims to provide effective therapies for patients affected by various retinal diseases. Nacuity has garnered significant financial and technical backing from the Foundation Fighting Blindness, which has invested nearly $700 million over the past 46 years to support research into preventing and treating blinding retinal diseases. The Foundation is a key partner in advancing Nacuity’s development program, particularly through its commitment to fund a substantial portion of the company's Phase 1 and Phase 2 clinical trials via a milestone-based matching grant.

SalioGen Therapeutics

Series B in 2022
SalioGen Therapeutics advances in curative genetic therapies using its Exact DNA Integration Technology (EDIT) platform, a mammal-derived genome engineering technology. It is focused on providing durable, safe, and affordable non-viral gene therapies to more patients with inherited diseases. Looking ahead, SalioGen will also explore the EDIT platform’s capabilities to streamline cell therapy, cell engineering, and biologics manufacturing to help an even broader population of patients in need.

Opus Genetics

Seed Round in 2021
Opus Genetics is a patient-first, science-driven gene therapy company tackling manufacturing obstacles standing in the way of treatments for ultra-rare blinding conditions.

Vedere Bio ll

Series A in 2021
Vedere Bio, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, established in 2019. The company focuses on developing gene therapy products aimed at restoring functional vision for patients who have experienced vision loss due to Inherited Retinal Degenerations (IRDs) and other causes of vision impairment, both genetic and non-genetic. Unlike many ocular gene therapies that primarily slow the progression of vision loss, Vedere Bio seeks to restore lost vision, regardless of the patient's genetic background or stage of their condition. As of September 2020, Vedere Bio operates as a subsidiary of Novartis AG.

Atsena Therapeutics

Series A in 2020
Atsena Therapeutics is a clinical-stage gene therapy company dedicated to developing ocular gene therapies aimed at reversing or preventing blindness. The company focuses on treating prominent forms of Leber congenital amaurosis and Usher syndrome. Utilizing adeno-associated virus technology, Atsena's pipeline is designed to address the challenges associated with inherited retinal diseases, providing innovative solutions to restore vision and improve the quality of life for patients affected by these conditions.
Spot something off? Help us improve by flagging any incorrect or outdated information. Just email us at support@teaserclub.com. Your feedback is most welcome.