OcuBlink

Vision Science alumni work to improve laboratory testing of ocular products

By Hendrik Walther

Three former School of Optometry & Vision Science graduate students are setting out to challenge the current ways of how pharmaceutical products are tested in laboratories. In June 2018, Dr. Chau-Minh Phan, optometry student Han Qiao, and Dr. Hendrik Walther founded OcuBlink™ Inc., a startup specializing in developing sophisticated in vitro eye models for ophthalmic product testing.

They first started developing an alternative eye model in 2014 when OcuBlink™ CTO, Dr. Chau-Minh Phan, was seeking out different models that he could use to test different lens materials he developed during his graduate work at the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE). “I was developing contact lens materials for drug delivery to the eye, but the methodologies that were traditionally applied did not resemble the on-eye conditions in any way, which made it challenging to interpret my results into the real world.” This sparked the idea of creating a platform that would resemble the eye more closely. The first model the team developed, the OcuFlow, has since garnered attention at several conference presentations and peer-reviewed journal publications over the past 3 years where the team could show the advantages of their more sophisticated model platform compared to traditional test methods. Despite the success of the OcuFlow model, its major shortcoming is the lack of a “true” blink mechanism and a moist and absorbent eyeball.

Their newest OcuBlink™ platform is the most advanced eye model platform to-date, incorporating both a blink mechanism and an artificial eyeball. Incorporating OcuBlink™ to test concepts and prototypes at an earlier stage will minimize costs, reduce animal experimentation, and create deeper understanding of the underlying science of how new and existing products interact with the eye. Since founding the startup, OcuBlink has received recognition and a 30K seed fund from FedDev Ontario through the Accelerator Centre (AC). The team is very excited as OcuBlink CEO, Dr. Hendrik Walther, said: “We’ve been developing these in vitro platforms since 2014, working with industry partners and researchers to validate our technology. Now it’s time to bring it to the market, and working closely with the AC over the next year will help us scale our business.” The timing of incorporation could not have been any better. Canada is in the process of passing Bill S-214, which will make cosmetic testing on animals illegal. With increased regulation on animal testing, the need for a suitable alternative eye model for testing ocular drug development and delivery has become very apparent and the OcuBlink™ team is planning to help with their advanced in vitro eye models for ophthalmic product testing.

More recently, co-founder Han (Joanne) Qiao pitched their business idea at the Velocity Fund finals. After a fierce competition against ten other finalists, they were one of the companies that received the 5,000 dollar prize. Han Qiao mentioned that the win is another important validation for the company; “It is great that people outside our research field acknowledge that the problem we are tackling and our solution has potential.” In addition to winning the prize money, the startup has just been accepted into Velocity, the leading entrepreneurship program at the University of Waterloo and widely acknowledged as Canada’s most productive startup incubator for the past 10 years. Moving into the Velocity Garage will allow OcuBlink™ access to increased laboratory space, advanced equipment for device prototyping, and an inclusive, interdisciplinary environment designed to stimulate innovation, entrepreneurial thinking and successful commercialization. It also provides a gateway to additional professional expertise and a network of emerging and developed Velocity-fueled businesses. “Being accepted into the Velocity Garage will further accelerate our development path, benefitting fellow researchers and ophthalmic industry organizations who have shown interest in the technology,” said OcuBlink CEO, Dr. Hendrik Walther.

The company still has a lot of work ahead, but the team is confident, with the help of all their mentors, advisors and partners, to build a sustainable business that will help to better test current and develop new, cutting-edge products for the eye. OcuBlink™ hopes to unveil a fully functioning prototype in early 2019, which will take them to the next stage of testing and validation. But for now, they’re celebrating their small but important victories.