ExSight Ventures

ExSight Ventures is a New York-based venture capital firm established in 2014 that focuses on early-stage impact investments in the ophthalmology sector. The firm is comprised of two experienced retinal surgeons and a team of investment professionals dedicated to funding innovative diagnostic and treatment solutions for eye care. ExSight Ventures targets investments in a range of areas, including biotechnology, medical devices, pharmaceuticals, and software solutions that address the needs of the ophthalmic market. By leveraging their expertise and industry connections, the firm aims to support the development of groundbreaking technologies to improve patient outcomes in eye health.

Firas Rahhal

Partner

13 past transactions

Horizon Surgical Systems

Series A in 2024
Horizon Surgical Systems is a company focused on advancing the field of microsurgery through innovative technologies. It specializes in the development of an AI-driven, imaging-guided surgical robotic system tailored for surgical ophthalmology. By integrating advancements in robotics, medical imaging, and artificial intelligence, Horizon Surgical Systems aims to enhance the precision and effectiveness of microsurgical procedures, ultimately improving patient outcomes. The company is committed to ongoing research and development to explore new possibilities in microsurgery, addressing the evolving needs of healthcare professionals and patients alike.

ONL Therapeutics

Series C in 2023
ONL Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, that develops small‑molecule peptide therapeutics to protect photoreceptors and preserve vision. Its pipeline focuses on targeting the FAS apoptotic pathway to prevent photoreceptor loss in retinal diseases such as retinal detachment, aiming to improve surgical outcomes and reduce vision loss. Founded in 2006, the company seeks to bring novel treatments for serious, vision‑threatening retinal conditions.

Re-Vana Therapeutics

Series A in 2022
Re-Vana Therapeutics specializes in ocular pharmaceuticals and drug delivery systems. It develops biodegradable platforms to treat chronic eye diseases like age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and retina infections. Key products include OcuLief for AMD and DR treatment, and EyeLief for glaucoma and retina disease management.

Valitor

Series B in 2022
Valitor, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Berkeley, California, founded in 2010. The company specializes in the development of advanced, protein-based drugs and has established innovative methods for modifying therapeutic proteins. This technology enables enhanced control over pharmacokinetics, target specificity, and bioactivity, thus improving the pharmacological properties of existing and emerging protein drugs. Valitor's research and development efforts are focused on three key areas: dermatology, ophthalmology, and orthopedics, where they are advancing novel drug products designed to address unmet medical needs in these fields.

DTx Pharma

Series B in 2021
DTx Pharma, LLC is a biotechnology company headquartered in San Diego, California, specializing in the development and commercialization of fatty acid-conjugated peptide therapeutics. Founded in 2017, the company focuses on delivering RNA-based medicines to treat patients with rare and chronic diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and various central nervous system disorders. DTx Pharma's innovative delivery technology addresses challenges faced by previous-generation platforms, such as poor pharmacokinetics and limited cellular uptake, thereby enhancing the efficiency of nucleic acid drug delivery across diverse tissues and cell types. The company aims to establish RNA therapeutics as a leading option for personalized treatment in multiple therapeutic areas.

ONL Therapeutics

Series B in 2020
ONL Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, that develops small‑molecule peptide therapeutics to protect photoreceptors and preserve vision. Its pipeline focuses on targeting the FAS apoptotic pathway to prevent photoreceptor loss in retinal diseases such as retinal detachment, aiming to improve surgical outcomes and reduce vision loss. Founded in 2006, the company seeks to bring novel treatments for serious, vision‑threatening retinal conditions.

Re-Vana Therapeutics

Seed Round in 2020
Re-Vana Therapeutics specializes in ocular pharmaceuticals and drug delivery systems. It develops biodegradable platforms to treat chronic eye diseases like age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and retina infections. Key products include OcuLief for AMD and DR treatment, and EyeLief for glaucoma and retina disease management.

DTx Pharma

Series A in 2020
DTx Pharma, LLC is a biotechnology company headquartered in San Diego, California, specializing in the development and commercialization of fatty acid-conjugated peptide therapeutics. Founded in 2017, the company focuses on delivering RNA-based medicines to treat patients with rare and chronic diseases, including retinitis pigmentosa, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and various central nervous system disorders. DTx Pharma's innovative delivery technology addresses challenges faced by previous-generation platforms, such as poor pharmacokinetics and limited cellular uptake, thereby enhancing the efficiency of nucleic acid drug delivery across diverse tissues and cell types. The company aims to establish RNA therapeutics as a leading option for personalized treatment in multiple therapeutic areas.

Trefoil Therapeutics

Series A in 2019
Trefoil Therapeutics is a biotechnology company dedicated to developing innovative therapies for endothelial cell-mediated diseases, particularly those affecting the cornea. Utilizing its proprietary engineered fibroblast growth factor-1 technology platform, Trefoil aims to create first-in-class regenerative pharmacologic treatments for conditions such as Fuchs dystrophy and other serious corneal diseases that can lead to preventable blindness. The company is currently focused on a topical eye drop formulation known as TTHX1114, designed to treat ulcerative conditions on the cornea's surface, which can result in corneal scarring and significant vision loss. With a management team boasting over 100 years of combined experience in pharmaceutical development and commercialization, Trefoil strives to enhance human health through protein-engineered drug therapies. As an early-stage company, it has received recognition from the biopharmaceutical funding community for its innovative business approach.

ONL Therapeutics

Series A in 2017
ONL Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, that develops small‑molecule peptide therapeutics to protect photoreceptors and preserve vision. Its pipeline focuses on targeting the FAS apoptotic pathway to prevent photoreceptor loss in retinal diseases such as retinal detachment, aiming to improve surgical outcomes and reduce vision loss. Founded in 2006, the company seeks to bring novel treatments for serious, vision‑threatening retinal conditions.

LensGen

Series A in 2017
LensGen, Inc. is an ophthalmic medical device company based in Irvine, California, founded in 2011. The company specializes in developing innovative solutions for the treatment of presbyopia and cataracts. Its flagship product, the Juvene™, is a biomimetic intraocular lens that replicates the eye's natural accommodation process. This lens utilizes tiny muscle contractions to change shape and adjust its curvature, thereby restoring youthful vision and eliminating the need for reading glasses at any age. By mimicking the functionality of the natural lens, LensGen's technology enables patients to achieve clear and continuous vision across all distances.

Trefoil Therapeutics

Series A in 2017
Trefoil Therapeutics is a biotechnology company dedicated to developing innovative therapies for endothelial cell-mediated diseases, particularly those affecting the cornea. Utilizing its proprietary engineered fibroblast growth factor-1 technology platform, Trefoil aims to create first-in-class regenerative pharmacologic treatments for conditions such as Fuchs dystrophy and other serious corneal diseases that can lead to preventable blindness. The company is currently focused on a topical eye drop formulation known as TTHX1114, designed to treat ulcerative conditions on the cornea's surface, which can result in corneal scarring and significant vision loss. With a management team boasting over 100 years of combined experience in pharmaceutical development and commercialization, Trefoil strives to enhance human health through protein-engineered drug therapies. As an early-stage company, it has received recognition from the biopharmaceutical funding community for its innovative business approach.

RetroSense Therapeutics

Series B in 2015
RetroSense Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing life-enhancing gene therapies designed to restore vision in patients suffering from blindness due to retinitis pigmentosa (RP) and advanced dry age-related macular degeneration (advanced dry-AMD). There are currently no FDA approved drugs to improve or restore vision in patients with these retinal degenerative conditions. The company's approach to using optogenetics in vision restoration is based on pioneering, proprietary research conducted at Wayne State University and Massachusetts General Hospital. Founded in 2009, RetroSense Therapeutics is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
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