EyeDura's eye drop technology recognized by eye care industry

The company won The Winning Pitch challenge at SightLine during the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) conferences, in addition to earning the Judge’s Choice and People’s Choice awards at the Octane Ophthalmology Technology Forum. Image credit: AdobeStock/Shutter2U

EyeDura Therapeutics has recently received top recognition at several forums in the innovative ophthalmic startup field. The company won The Winning Pitch challenge at SightLine during the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS) conferences, in addition to earning the Judge’s Choice and People’s Choice awards at the Octane Ophthalmology Technology Forum.¹ These awards recognize the company’s Topical Sustained Release technology, which utilizes a lipid-based, high-viscosity eye drop formulation that integrates into the tear film’s lipid layer, in addition to other development efforts, according to a news release.

EyeDura stated in the release that the drop technology was designed to address suboptimal patient compliance and high treatment cost, citing compliance rates as low as 60% for conventional eye drops. The Topical Sustain Release technology works by selectively removing the aqueous layer while blinking, with the lipid layer and medication remaining. This creates a stable depot that delivers therapeutic levels for 7 days or longer from a single drop.¹

“These awards reflect the strength of our platform technology and the progress of our development efforts," said Srini Venkatesh, CEO of EyeDura, in the release. "The endorsement from both expert judges and industry peers reinforces that we're addressing pressing challenges in ophthalmic drug delivery, especially as we advance our lead program, EYED-002 for neurotrophic keratitis, toward IND submission in Q3 2026."

This recent preliminary study demonstrated complete healing of epithelial defects in all 10 patients enrolled in the study using insulin delivered through the platform. Patients only required 2 drops per week over a 4-week period, according to the release. EyeDura is also preparing for a $25 million Series A fundraise in 2026 to support advancement of its lead neurotrophic keratitis program.¹

"Our experienced team has developed a platform that represents a true breakthrough in ocular drug delivery," said William Link, chairman of EyeDura's Board of Directors, in the release. "This technology doesn't just improve dosing convenience. It has the potential to reduce the healthcare burden by improving patient compliance and enabling better therapeutic outcomes. Our guiding philosophy is that patients shouldn't have to suffer, and advanced therapeutics should integrate seamlessly into their lives."

The company is also making way with other anterior and posterior ophthalmic applications, including a proof-of-concept for dry eye disease and the successful deliverance of insulin and axitinib to treat posterior eye tissues.¹

Reference:

1. EyeDura’s sustained-release eye drop technology wins double industry honors. News release. BusinessWire. July 15, 2025. Accessed July 15, 2025. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250715109035/en/EyeDuras-Sustained-Release-Eye-Drop-Technology-Wins-Double-Industry-Honors