Bengaluru-based biotech startup Pandorum Technologies has announced the successful closure of a pre-Series B funding round, securing $11 million (Rs 88 crore) in investment. The funding was sourced from Ashish Kacholia, Everest Finance Investment, Acebright Pharma and Bandana Kankani's syndicate along with existing investors Sunil Kant Munjal and the Indian Angel Network.

Founded by Arun Chandru & Dr Tuhin Bhowmick, the startup focuses on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. With the current round of funding, Pandorum aims to progress towards the First-in-Human study of its flagship product Kuragenx- the 'Liquid Cornea', to treat corneal blindness. The funding will also allow the company to advance its tunable technology platform that has demonstrated regenerative potential beyond cornea, such as, for liver, lung and neuronal tissues.

Corneal opacity is one of the major causes of blindness worldwide, with millions waiting for donor tissues against significant odds. Pandorum's Kuragenx promotes scarless regeneration of cornea tissue to restore vision, as demonstrated in extensive pre-clinical studies.

In 2023, Kuragenx was awarded the Orphan Drug Designation by the USFDA, for the treatment of Neurotrophic Keratitis, a form of ulcerative corneal blindness that is currently untreatable or extremely difficult to treat. Pandorum is currently engaged in clinical manufacturing process and IND enabling studies of Kuragenx, with the aim towards the first patient dosing in 2025, after obtaining due regulatory approvals.