# Opus Genetics

Startup profile on Capital Atlas: https://capitalatlas.ai/startups/opus-genetics

- Industry: Biotechnology
- Headquarters: Farmington Hills, US
- Website: www.opusgtx.com/
- Total disclosed funding: $9.5M
- Latest round: Seed (Aug 5, 2021)
- Investors on record: 3

## About

Based in North Carolina, US, and founded in 2021, Opus Genetics, Inc. offers a gene therapy to treat rare retinal degenerative diseases. The company was co-founded by Jean Bennett and Ben Yerxa, two medical professionals. The company operates as a spin-out firm of Foundation Fighting Blindness, a venture arm of Retinal Degeneration Fund (RD Fund). In June 2023, Opus Genetics Inc. raised USD 4.5 million in seed funding. In October 2024, Ocuphire Pharma, Inc., fully acquired Opus Genetics, Inc. from Bios Partners, Foundation Fighting Blindness, Retinal Degeneration Fund, and The Manning Family Foundation.

The company has a series of research undergoing which focuses on two different diseases -- LCA (Leber congenital amaurosis) 5, an early-onset retinal degeneration, and BEST1, a biology and clinical research, and RDH12, a kind of early blindness. The preclinical programs under development are NMNAT1, which can modulate retinal NAD+, and RHO, which is a mutation-independent treatment of autosomal dominant RP (adRP) using a adRP-RHO canine model comparing AAV- and vehicle-treated retinas. Abovementioned are all wholly-owned pipelines of the company. The company’s lead programs are licensed from the University of Pennsylvania and will focus on treatments to address mutations in genes that cause different forms of LCA. 

The company plans to use the funding to expand its therapy development.

## Funding rounds

- Seed, Aug 5, 2021, $9.5M — Bios Partners, The Manning Family Foundation, Retinal Degeneration Fund

## Investors

- Bios Partners (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/bios-partners) — Seed
- The Manning Family Foundation (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/the-manning-family-foundation) — Seed
- Retinal Degeneration Fund (https://capitalatlas.ai/funds/retinal-degeneration-fund) — Seed