RetroSense Therapeutics, LLC

RetroSense is developing a gene therapy for vision restoration in retinal degenerative conditions, for which there are no approved drugs.

  • Stage Product In Development
  • Industry Biotechnology
  • Location Ann Arbor, MI, USA
  • Currency USD
  • Founded November 2009
  • Employees 4
  • Website retro-sense.com

Company Summary

RetroSense is developing a novel gene therapy approach to vision restoration. Our management team has extensive experience across all aspects of the business and science of drug development, including multiple startup successes. Based on optogenetics, our approach is validated in vision restoration across multiple species, with excellent safety data. As a gain-of-function approach, efficacy is expected early in clinical trials.

Team

  • Peter Francis, BSc(Hons) BM MD PhD FRCOphth
    Chief Medical Officer

    Dr Francis is an ophthalmologist clinician-scientist with expertise in ophthalmic genetics and retinal disease. Peter graduated from medical school in the UK and undertook residency in London, UK. He is fellowship trained in retina and genetics (Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, and Casey Eye Institute, USA). Dr Francis has held academic faculty positions at St Thomas’ Hospital, London and most recently, Casey Eye Institute, Portland, USA in which

  • Sean Ainsworth
    CEO

    Sean Ainsworth has fifteen years of experience in pharmaceuticals and biotechnology. His experience includes research at Medical Biology Institute (now Avanir Pharmaceuticals developers of Abreva, the leading cold sore medication) in San Diego, intellectual property at Koyama and Associates in Tokyo, international corporate development consulting at The Mattson Jack Group in St. Louis, MO.

    In 2004 Mr. Ainsworth launched Ainsworth BioConsulting

  • Steven Bramer
    Chief Development Officer

    Dr. Steven Bramer has over 26 years of pharmaceutical/biotechnology industrial and academic experience. He has held positions in global companies where he contributed substantially to all stages of development for drugs, biologics, tissues, combination products, and devices. His experience covers a broad range of therapeutic areas, including ophthalmology, and he has dealt extensively with regulatory agencies in the US and abroad. He played an

  • Cam Gallagher
    Chief Business Officer

    Managing director of the fund, Nerveda, which invested in RetroSense among many other early stage deals. Cam's background is on biotechnology commercialization. He has held key positions at Dura Pharmaceuticals, CV Therapeutics and Verus Pharmaceuticals.

Previous Investors

  • Foundation Fighting Blindness
    Unconfirmed
    Founder investment, plus independent Angel investors
    Unconfirmed
    Michigan Pre-Seed Capital fund
    Unconfirmed
  • Series A
    Nerveda
    Series A
    Unconfirmed
    Mesa Verde Venture Partners
    Series A
    Unconfirmed
  • Tech Coast Angels
    Series A
    Unconfirmed

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