NEWS

Introducing EyesoBio – Pioneering Eye Product Testing with Cell-on-a-chip Microfluidic Device

1. What is the Eyesobio project about?

EyesoBio is a biotechnology company that was incorporated in Canada this July. EyesoBio is developing cell-on-a-chip microfluidic devices integrated with powerful imaging software, which will enable researchers to quickly test new drugs and materials for safety and efficacy. The company's goal is to become a viable alternative to animal testing, providing standardized results that will help accelerate the commercialization of new eye products.

2. What contributions or benefits does the project bring to society?

The traditional process of developing biological products is long and involves cell studies, animal studies, and clinical trials. We foresee the pressing need for advanced cell testing platform, especially because FDA no longer requires animal studies before clinical trials this year, signifying a pivotal shift in product testing mentality. However, current cell testing methods are outdated and inefficient, leading to higher costs, time-consuming assays, and lower accuracy in predicting human outcomes. EyesoBio addresses this shift in product testing mentality by offering a revolutionary one-stop solution for eye product testing by utilizing a cell-on-a-chip microfluidic device combined with powerful imaging capabilities. Their technology allows researchers to test their products more efficiently, accurately, and cost-effectively. Ultimately, this will streamline the commercialization process, optimize R&D resources for product development, and bring more products to patients with eye care needs.

3. What did you/your team gain and experience from participating in this competition?

Participating in various pitch competitions has been a vital part to start our journey. We are thrilled to share our recent achievement of winning the Velocity 5K pitch competition. Out of 81 competing teams, EyesoBio emerged as one of the four remarkable winners. Throughout the competition, the team received valuable feedback on our technology and pitch approach from the judges and velocity team, which helped refined our company's direction. Participating in the competition alongside other startups also showed us other creative paths in company building and pitching that we have previously not considered. Most importantly, winning the pitch competition was good validation that we are potentially on to something. Overall, this experience has bolstered our dedication, renewed our enthusiasm, and provided us with a clearer and more confident path forward.

4. What connections and future collaborations does this project have with CEVR?

Our ties with CEVR have been instrumental in shaping EyesoBio's vision. The EyesoBiotechnology was developed in response to a real need that originated from the research conducted at CEVR, in particular the research arm for the Research Programme 2 – ocular drug delivery and discovery. So naturally, our plan is to first utilize our technology for testing products developed at CEVR. We are already collaborating with principal investigators (PIs) at CEVR to test our technology in the coming months. We are also engaging with external clients, both in academia and industry, to implement our technology into their R&D workflow. Our hope is that our technology will help accelerate the commercialization pipeline for CEVR and our clients, which in turn will create even more valuable future connections and collaborations. 

5. Any information you would like to include?

We have also won the Velocity Upstart 15K pitch competition before this pitch competition, which was also very competitive. Despite starting our journey with this company only in June of this year, we have already made a lot of progress, which is all thanks to the unwavering support and guidance from our mentors and advisors at both CEVR and CORE. Moving forward, we hope to maintain this strong partnership and continue relying on their valuable support as we further develop and grow our company. Follow our journey at www.eyesobio.com.