OcuHealth wins UCD’s 2025 VentureLaunch Award for its patented eye drop technology targeting dry eye disease with sustained drug delivery innovation.
OcuHealth, a start-up developing advanced eye therapeutics, has been named the overall winner of University College Dublin’s 2025 VentureLaunch Accelerator Programme.
The VentureLaunch programme supports the creation and launch of new ventures emerging from UCD.
“We will be seeking to raise €3.5 million to progress our patented nanoformulations to first-in-human trials in 2028”
The company is pioneering a “once-a-day” eye drop capable of delivering both small molecules and large biomolecules in a slow, sustained manner to all parts of the eye. This approach aims to significantly improve treatment options compared with current therapies that require frequent administration.
While the platform technology has potential applications across multiple eye diseases, OcuHealth’s initial focus is on dry eye disease, a condition that causes pain, inflammation and irritation at the ocular surface. Patients often report a severe impact on quality of life, with existing treatments offering limited relief and requiring multiple daily doses.
Eye on the prize
Eye drops remain the preferred delivery method for ophthalmic drugs, accounting for more than 90 per cent of formulations. However, conventional drops are quickly washed away by blinking and tearing, resulting in low absorption rates of just 1% to 5%.
To address this, OcuHealth has developed a patented Sustained Microemulsion Release Technology (SMrT), which enables extended delivery of hydrophobic and hydrophilic drugs, including monoclonal antibodies, to the front of the eye. The formulation also improves tear film health.
As proof of concept, OcuHealth combined its SMrT technology with an existing steroid drug. Preclinical trials showed that a single drop could deliver the drug over 12 hours to both the front and back of the eye, reducing disease biomarkers without systemic exposure. The company says this represents a significant improvement over competing products.
OcuHealth is a joint initiative between UCD and South East Technological University (SETU) and has secured €700,000 in funding through Enterprise Ireland’s Commercialisation Fund.
The team includes Dr Alison Reynolds, Assistant Professor at UCD’s School of Veterinary Medicine and fellow of the UCD Conway Institute, who completed the VentureLaunch programme; Dr Laurence Fitzhenry, Head of Faculty of Science and Computing at SETU; Dr Muhammad Sarfraz of SETU; and commercial lead John Lynch.
“We are absolutely delighted to have been named the overall winner of the 2025 UCD VentureLaunch Accelerator Programme,” said Dr Reynolds.
“OcuHealth is focused on developing new ways of delivering therapeutics to the eye in a sustained manner which will benefit patients and clinicians. We are excited to explore how our platform technology can be used to improve current treatment options and look forward to future opportunities to partner with pharmaceutical companies in the eye therapeutics space.”
Dr Fitzhenry added: “Following the completion of our Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation Fund project next year, we will spin out OcuHealth, marking an important milestone as we move from laboratory development towards real-world impact. We will be seeking to raise €3.5 million to progress our patented nanoformulations to first-in-human trials in 2028.”
The VentureLaunch programme, delivered over two months at NovaUCD, included eight workshops covering marketing, finance, funding, sales and investor pitching, alongside expert mentoring and talks from entrepreneurs. Liam Cronin, UCD’s Director of Innovation, said the programme aims to accelerate the creation of start-ups for the global stage. “I wish OcuHealth, and all the participants, every commercial success not only here in Ireland but internationally,” he said.
Other finalists included Eurvista, Genshield-AI, GreenWatch, MicroJect, NAX Bioscience and SelekTx. The judging panel was chaired by Conor O’Sullivan of Atlantic Bridge and included representatives from Delta Partners, ACT, HBAN and The Yield Lab.
Top image: Dr Alison Reynolds, UCD School of Veterinary Medicine, and a member of the OcuHealth team, winner of the 2025 UCD VentureLaunch Accelerator Programme Award. Photo: Paul Sharp/Sharppix
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