NeuroVision Imaging Inc., a Sacramento, Calif.-based company that is developing digital imaging and diagnostic solutions for identifying retinal pathology related to Alzheimer’s Disease (AD), has announced a Series C financing round of $15m with an initial close of $11.2m.
The round was led by Wildcat Capital Management with participation from Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC Inc., Nikon-SBI Innovation Fund, Whittier Ventures and VSP Global.
The financing provides support for NeuroVision as it seeks validation and regulatory approval for its breakthrough, low-cost, noninvasive, eye imaging system for measuring retinal autofluorescence that can detect amyloid beta (Aβ) plaque in the eye. Aβ plaque deposits in the brain are a hallmark sign of Alzheimer’s disease, and histological evidence shows that Aβ plaque also accumulates in the retina, the photoreceptor and nerve complex at the rear of the eye.
Formed in 2010 and led by Steven Verdooner, CEO, NeuroVision has developed experimental technology that aims to assess a hallmark sign of Alzheimer’s disease – the accumulation of amyloid beta plaque in the brain. This innovation was originally discovered by a team at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles led by Keith L. Black, M.D. (the company’s chairman and co-founder) and Maya Koronyo-Hamaoui, Ph.D.
NVI is building upon this research and has developed proprietary image processing and machine learning algorithms to quantify eye pathology as an assessment of amyloid status in the central nervous system. The company’s goal is to develop an accessible product that helps identify those who may be affected by Alzheimer’s.
NeuroVision Imaging holds the exclusive worldwide license to this technology, which is owned by Cedars-Sinai.
FinSMEs
02/05/2018