Eye disease startup raises $330 million for ageing trial
A startup targeting eye diseases that predominantly affect older people has raised $330 million. The funds will go towards a large clinical study for two of the most common causes of vision loss in later life.
Ollin Biosciences is preparing to launch a Phase 3 trial for a treatment targeting two age-related conditions: diabetic macular oedema (fluid build-up in the central part of the retina in diabetic patients) and neovascular macular degeneration (a form of age-related blindness in which abnormal blood vessel growth damages central visual acuity). Both conditions affect millions of people and can lead to significant vision loss.
The $330 million funding round, one of the largest Series B rounds for a biotech company in the past two years, was co-led by TCGX and ARCH Venture Partners. Alongside established biotech investors, a pension fund and crossover investors also participated.
Why eye disease is a longevity story
Macular degeneration and diabetic retinal disease are strongly age-related. They are driven by many of the same mechanisms that cause ageing elsewhere in the body: inflammation, abnormal blood vessel growth, and impaired cellular repair. The report describes how Ollin is developing a single treatment that addresses both conditions, suggesting they share underlying biological pathways.
Phase 3 as the critical test
A Phase 3 trial is the final clinical testing stage before regulatory approval. Results will determine whether the treatment becomes available to patients. For the broader longevity field, this round also signals something: investors are placing ever larger bets on age-related disease, making more capital available for clinical validation of promising therapies.