Healthy vision is often taken for granted. While most of us diligently keep up with optician appointments, we may not fully appreciate the importance of regular eye checks. Not only do these checks help maintain our vision, but our eyes also serve as literal windows into our overall health. For instance, while macular degeneration, which affects around two hundred million people, can be significantly slowed if detected early, other seemingly unrelated conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and certain cancers, can also be identified through eye examinations.
RetinAI, along with its parent company Ikerian, specialises in software solutions that leverage advanced machine learning and computer vision to accelerate clinical, research, and pharmaceutical workflows globally. By enabling healthcare professionals to make informed decisions sooner, they contribute to better healthcare outcomes.
Ikerian AG, formerly known as RetinAI Medical AG, has announced the final close of its Series A Extension financing round, raising $6.18 million to further its mission in healthcare innovation.
New lead investor and total funding
Topcon Healthcare, Inc.’s Corporate Venture Capital arm led the Series A Extension financing, joining existing investors such as Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB). With this latest round, Ikerian AG has raised $11.66 million across Seed, Series A, and Series A Extension rounds.
Beyond ophthalmology
In 2023, a significant corporate restructuring took place, resulting in the transformation of RetinAI Medical AG into Ikerian AG. As part of this strategic shift, the wholly owned subsidiary RetinAI U.S. Inc. will concentrate its efforts on serving the ophthalmology market. Meanwhile, Ikerian AG is actively exploring opportunities in emerging therapeutic domains, such as neurodegenerative disorders, vascular conditions, and rare diseases
Technology development and commercial rollout
The funds will be instrumental in advancing the development and commercial rollout of RetinAI Discovery® in ophthalmology and optometry. Additionally, Ikerian AG aims to expand into new therapeutic areas, leveraging AI technology to address systemic and chronic diseases.
Driving innovation in healthcare
Dr Carlos Ciller, Chairman and CEO of Ikerian, expressed confidence in the company’s AI technology to enhance patient care and clinical research, “The successful closing of this financing confirms the importance of our AI technology to re-invent workflows for clinical and pharmaceutical research to support more efficient and effective patient care. These funds will allow us to expedite development efforts of our RetinAI Discovery® platform and our pipeline of AI technologies, and to collaborate with Topcon Healthcare and the industry to advance AI in ophthalmology and beyond.”
Dr Sandro De Zanet, Chief Scientific Officer at Ikerian and RetinAI commented, “Having a portfolio of RWE insights allows RetinAI to deliver even greater value to pharma by accelerating clinical studies and enriching AI-based data analysis to support future treatments. In addition, generative AI technology is helping us revolutionise analysis and patient screening for clinical studies. The Discovery tool and AI biomarkers that we have developed will simplify analysis across vast imaging datasets needed to complete a clinical trial.”
Dr Carlos Ciller added: “I am proud of the achievements RetinAI has made and look forward to this next stage of growth. Ikerian will use the ‘eye as a window to the body’ to advance healthcare in systemic and chronic diseases, such as neurological and cardiovascular conditions, generating new knowledge and playing an instrumental role in improving healthcare for individuals worldwide.”
Expanding collaborations and partnerships
RetinAI has established strategic collaborations with industry leaders like Retina Consultants of America (RCA) and major pharmaceutical companies such as Boehringer Ingelheim, Janssen, and Novartis. These partnerships have enabled the company to develop AI-driven workflows and expand its footprint in patient management.
