Axorus Unveils Artificial Retina to Restore Sight, Targets Dry AMD and Retinal Degeneration

Axorus, a Boston- and Paris-linked medtech startup, is developing an artificial retina designed to restore functional vision for people blinded by the dry form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and retinal pigmentary degeneration.

Built on photoacoustic solutions pioneered at Boston University, the system combines a subretinal implant with laser-equipped smart glasses to convert light into precise neural stimulation. Early in vivo and ex vivo results suggest the device could enable users to read text and recognise faces, two critical benchmarks of meaningful visual acuity.

Founded by a multidisciplinary team of vision scientists, biomedical engineers, and medical device operators, Axorus emerged to address a gap left by traditional approaches. While wet AMD has approved anti-VEGF therapies, dry AMD, which accounts for the majority of cases, remains largely untreatable beyond supportive care.

Patients face a steep decline in quality of life, with limited mobility, reduced independence, and heightened risks of depression and injury. Axorus positions its photoacoustic prosthesis as a non-pharmacologic, durable solution that bypasses damaged photoreceptors and directly stimulates the retina’s remaining circuitry.

The company has reportedly raised early-stage funding from deep-tech and medtech investors focused on neuroprosthetics and ophthalmology, with proceeds directed toward preclinical validation, miniaturisation, and regulatory readiness. While terms were not disclosed, comparable retinal prosthesis and neuromodulation rounds typically fall in the $5–15 million seed-to-Series A range. Axorus’s near-term milestones include GLP preclinical studies, initial human feasibility trials, and CE/IDE-enabling work.

Industry benchmarks set by earlier retinal prostheses—such as Argus II and PRIMA—centre on safety, perceptual thresholds, letter/word recognition, and face detection. Axorus aims to differentiate on resolution, contrast sensitivity, and latency by leveraging photoacoustic transduction, which may offer finer spatial control and lower energy burdens than purely electrical arrays. If clinically validated, this could translate into improved reading speeds, higher ETDRS acuity lines, and better performance in low-light conditions.

The market demand is substantial as dry AMD affects an estimated 150–200 million people globally across the disease spectrum, with advanced geographic atrophy rising rapidly in ageing populations. Even single-digit market penetration in advanced disease would represent a multibillion-dollar opportunity. Axorus’s growth thesis hinges on three drivers: clinical efficacy that delivers real-world function (reading and face recognition), a scalable surgical workflow for subretinal implantation, and reimbursement frameworks aligned with functional restoration rather than drug dosing.

Initial users are expected to be legally blind patients with advanced dry AMD and select retinal degenerations with preserved inner retina. Over time, Axorus could expand indications as device resolution improves. With a strong academic lineage, clear clinical need, and a differentiated tech stack, Axorus is positioning itself as a next-generation contender in retinal neuroprosthetics, aiming to move sight restoration from experimental promise to everyday utility.