Camras Vision Inc. has raised $5.7 million in funding led by VCapital, InFocus Capital Partners and Triangle Venture Alliance.
The funding was also raised from new angel investors, series seed investors Triangle Angel Partners, IMAF Coastal Plain and Pilot Mountain Ventures.
The investment will support four global clinic trials to study one of the company’s devices that treats refractory glaucoma. The device drains aqueous humor eternally, which avoids scarring and potential failure associated with other treatments.
Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide and is traditionally treated by lowering eye pressure. There is not a current treatment that exists that provides a predictable target pressure control, which causes physicians to use a combination of therapies to reach a target pressure range.
“VCapital views Camras Vision as a life enhancing and life changing technology for those that struggle with the debilitation and vision loss from glaucoma,” said Len Batterson, chairman and CEO of VCapital in a statement. “Camras has the potential to improve the daily lives of glaucoma patients.”
Camras Vision is an ophthalmic device company that focuses on the development of an ocular implant, Camras Shunt. The company wants to provide a personalized alternative to the way glaucoma is treated for patients.
Ray Krauss is the company’s chief executive officer. He has more than 30 years executive experience in the medical device industry. His experience includes both PMA and 510(k) devices as well as working in private and public companies.
He led the operations effort of the first company, Summit Technology, to bring PRK/LASIK to the market.
Lucinda Camras is the chief scientific officer of the company and the inventor of the Camras Shunt. She has been working in glaucoma and biomedical engineering for over a decade.
Camras has presented at 20 scientific conferences, published 10 papers in top ophthalmic journals, submitted six patents, and received 10 national and institutional awards/honors.
