Swiss-based Ikerian AG, along with its U.S. subsidiary RetinAI U.S. Inc., a developer specializing in software solutions that accelerate healthcare workflows, has successfully closed a Series A extension funding round of $6.18 million (approximately €5.7 million).
The round was led by the Corporate Venture Capital arm of Topcon Healthcare, Inc., with significant contributions from existing investors including Zürcher Kantonalbank (ZKB), the btov Industrial Technologies fund managed by Matterwave Ventures, Verve Ventures, and various private investors.
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Expanding Beyond Ophthalmology
This funding propels the company’s total equity raised to $11.66 million (approximately €10.8 million) and will fuel the development of new opportunities to expand beyond the ophthalmology market. Ikerian AG has also initiated its Series B financing to support further growth and development.
Restructuring and Rebranding for Growth
In support of its expansion, Ikerian AG has undergone a significant corporate restructuring that began in 2023, which included rebranding RetinAI Medical AG as Ikerian AG and creating RetinAI U.S. Inc., now focused specifically on the ophthalmology market.
Advancements in RetinAI Discovery and New Therapeutic Areas
The company plans to use the newly acquired funds to further develop and commercially introduce RetinAI Discovery® in ophthalmology and optometry, and to expand Ikerian’s reach into new therapeutic areas prioritizing neurodegenerative disorders, vascular conditions, and rare diseases.
Leveraging AI for Improved Patient Care
Dr. Carlos Ciller, Chairman and CEO of Ikerian, and CEO of RetinAI, highlighted the impact of the financing: “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.”
Supercharging Clinical Trials
Founded in 2017, Ikerian AG and RetinAI U.S. Inc. develop software solutions that harness advanced machine learning and computer vision to accelerate clinical, research, and pharmaceutical workflows. They focus primarily on the ophthalmology and optometry market, building tools to collect, organize, and analyze health data from the eyes, which assists healthcare professionals in making timely decisions.
With growing revenues and an expanding Real-World Evidence (RWE) database across various eye diseases, Ikerian AG continues to advance its product offerings for pharmaceutical companies, life sciences firms, and clinical settings. This strategic funding round will enable Ikerian to further innovate and enhance their AI technologies, driving progress in healthcare and clinical studies globally.
