This article is part of a series looking at all the competitors of UT Dallas’ 2020 Big Idea Pitch Competition.
Focused on eye care, Glaucomedi is looking to shake up ophthalmic medicine in a number of ways with a planned portfolio of medical devices.
“I saw a problem. Searched for a solution. Realizing that there was no effective solution, I took the liberty to create one. That marked the moment in my life where I decided to pursue a career as an entrepreneur,” Jacob Awkal, co-founder at Glaucomedi, told NTX Inno via email.
Launched late last year, Glaucomedi is currently in the registration and licensing process for its patent pending shunt. Called the Squid Glaucoma Shunt, the device incorporates computational fluid dynamics to regulate the release of intraocular pressure in patients. The company has also developed a forceps to help make ocular surgery more efficient.
While the pandemic has slowed some of Glaucomedi’s work in the operating room, as well as made it difficult to find manufacturers of the precise materials their devices require, the team has been hard at work on development and is exploring 3D printing options. And with that hard work, Glaucomedi is looking to finish up clinical testing and create an MVP by the end of next year, with plans to fully commercialize in the next five tears.
What inspired you to start your business?
Hebah Abdallah, co-founder: Ophthalmology and the need for a solution. I always had an interest in math and medicine. As an engineer and as someone who is passionate about bridging medicine and engineering, I was interested to use my knowledge and education into an idea to improve the lives of millions of patients. I have always thought out organizations and solutions which allow me to bridge my interest in engineering and for improving the life of someone into one. With my passion and lack of technological advancement in the glaucoma market, I focused on designing a device to meet the needs of physicians by working with key opinion leaders to enhance the treatment of glaucoma patients.
Dr. Karanjit Kooner, co-founder: I have been treating glaucoma for over 30 years and was disappointed by the unreliable control of eye pressure using the current glaucoma shunts. Our team focused on the main reasons for shunt failures: large size requiring extensive dissection, uncontrolled release of aqueous humor and scar formation.
What is one of the biggest challenges you have faced so far? How did you overcome it? Awkal, Abdallah and Kooner: Our biggest challenge to this day is acquiring the resources and funding to move our products into Phase II of development. Resources for local manufacturing has been a challenge due to the material specificity, device dimensions and manufacturing method. We have been in conversation with manufacturing companies to fabricate the shunt, using their skillset and equipment. We were able to overcome this challenge by investigating new technological advancements in 3D printing and focusing on collaborative efforts between Glaucomedi and manufacturing companies.
Personally, what impact do you hope to have through the work that you do? We hope to continue to improve our umbrella of products and develop essential tools that will aid clinicians and patients, alike. By reducing the need for revision surgeries, recovery time and cost for all glaucoma patients, we hope to out-grow and outlearn our competition to meet the needs of all glaucoma patients. Our team strives to make a global impact on vision preservation and develop the necessary products that can change the lives of the millions of patients suffering from ophthalmic diseases.
This interview has been edited for clarity and grammar.
