Portfolio
Eliminating corneal blindness requires more than just one solution. KeraX’s portfolio is built around an ecosystem strategy, targeting three critical fronts of corneal disease:
-
Prevention: reducing trauma and infection-related injuries through accessible protective solutions
-
Early Detection & Early Treatment: delivering affordable, rapid diagnostic and first-line treatment technologies
-
Novel Treatments: developing solutions that reduce the need for donor tissue and new tools for therapeutic approaches.
This ‘PEN’ strategy seeks to rewrite the future of avoidable corneal blindness by producing solutions explicitly designed for use in low-resource environments where traditional medical technology companies rarely focus and where the need is greatest.
Internal Innovations
KeraX develops several innovations to address gaps we see in the treatment landscape.
AI-Powered Clinical Decision Support Algorithms for Keratitis
The Problem:
Eye infection (Infectious keratitis) is the most common cause of corneal opacity and can cause blindness if not promptly and properly diagnosed. In rural agricultural settings where cases are prevalent, timely pathogen diagnosis and confirmatory microbiology lab testing to inform proper treatment are rare.
The Solution:
Developing algorithms and handheld devices to assess and triage cornea infections.
Strategy: Early Detection
Non-pharmaceutical Antimicrobials
The Problem:
Eye infection (Infectious keratitis) is the most common cause of corneal opacity and can cause blindness if not properly treated. Using the right antibiotics around- the -clock is a challenge for patients.
The Solution:
A portable device that delivers a single dose of light to the infectious area to wipe out bacteria, fungi, and viruses without harming the eye, thereby reducing the need for antibiotics.
Strategy: Novel Treatments
Protective Eyewear (Joint Initiative with KeraLink India Programs)
The Problem:
Millions of laborers and in particular agricultural workers routinely suffer eye injuries from dust, crop debris, chemical sprays, and mechanical trauma during field work. Such trauma is one of the leading causes of corneal blindness.
The Solution:
Developing customizable consumer grade safety eyewear for agricultural workers to reduce eye trauma by > 90%..
Strategy: Prevention
Investments
KeraX makes select seed investments in companies aligned with our mission.
Pantheon Vision
Pantheon Vision is an early research-stage organization developing bioengineered solutions to reduce the reliance on donor tissue to address corneal blindness.
Strategy: Novel Treatments
PlenOptika Inc.
PlenOptika designs and produces tools to help vision professionals perform their best care anywhere. Vision professionals and NGOs have used PlenOptika technology on over 5 million patients in more than 45 countries to transform their lives with clear vision.
Strategy: Early Detection
Grants
KeraX makes select grants to medical institutions, non-profits, and social ventures with synergistic innovation goals.
Eyedea Medical
Eyedea Medical is a Baltimore based, early-stage, ophthalmic medical device company, founded by a group of mission-driven innovators. The company is working to increase adoption and improve outcomes of corneal transplants for all patients through transformative technologies and business models that enable access where the need is the greatest. KeraX is funding Eyedea Medical's development of Descecleave, a device to ease Descemet's Anterior Lamellar Keratoplasty (DALK) procedures.
Strategy: Novel Treatments
Shroff's Charity Eye Hospital and Sadguru Trust Netra Chikitslaya Chitrakoot
KeraX is collaborating with SCEH Delhi, SCEH Mohammadi, and SNC Chitrakoot to create a keratitis image database used to train an AI for differentiating bacterial, viral, and fungal keratitis.
Strategy: Early Detection
Visilant
Visilant is a commercial-stage social enterprise with a mission to eliminate avoidable vision loss globally by enabling equitable access to high quality eye screening and care. KeraX is funding Visilant to create a handheld device for anterior segment screening.
Strategy: Early Detection
Aravind Pondicherry
Aravind Pondicherry, KeraLink International, and KeraX launched a pilot initiative, the Safe Diwali campaign, to emphasize the impact of firecracker injury on vision (leading to mild to severe visual impairment and loss of vision) among children and young adults and the importance of adhering to safe practices while bursting firecrackers. 23,600 safety glasses were distributed to the public through shops selling firecrackers, and an awareness campaign was created in partnership with the local government, Aravind’s community partners, and the staff of Aravind Pondicherry.
Strategy: Prevention