PulseSight

PulseSight Therapeutics SAS is a clinical-stage biotechnology company concentrating on the development of non-viral gene therapies for severe retinal diseases. Founded in 2008 by Francine Behar-Cohen, MD, PhD, the company operates with the technology, assets, and intellectual property of the former Eyevensys. Dr. Behar-Cohen, an ophthalmic surgeon and researcher, provides foundational expertise to the company as a board observer. The firm is led by CEO Judith Greciet, who has over three decades of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotech sectors, and is supported by a board with extensive experience, including Independent Chair Dirk Sauer, formerly the Head of Ophthalmology at Novartis.

The company's core technology is a minimally invasive delivery platform that uses electro-transfection to introduce DNA plasmids encoding therapeutic proteins into the ciliary muscle. This turns the muscle cells into biofactories that produce and deliver therapeutic proteins to the retina over an extended period, with demonstrated clinical benefits lasting up to eight months from a single administration. This platform has been clinically validated for safety in a prior Phase I/II study for uveitis. The business model focuses on advancing its drug candidates through clinical trials to address the significant unmet needs in the ophthalmology market, which is estimated to reach $27.5 billion by 2031. PulseSight secures capital through venture funding, having raised $54.2M over several rounds and completing the first close of a Series A financing in February 2025 to fund clinical development.

PulseSight's pipeline targets age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which affects 200 million people globally. Its lead program, PST-809, is being developed for wet AMD and uses a dual-gene plasmid that expresses both aflibercept (a potent anti-VEGF) and decorin (an anti-angiogenic and anti-fibrotic protein). This approach aims to reduce vascular leakage and subretinal fibrosis, potentially requiring re-treatment only every six months. A second program, PST-611, targets Geographic Atrophy (GA), the late stage of dry AMD. PST-611 delivers a plasmid that encodes for human transferrin to regulate iron levels, which in turn reduces oxidative stress and prevents retinal degeneration. A Phase 1 clinical trial for PST-611 began in the summer of 2025. This candidate has also received orphan drug designation from the FDA and EMA for other neurodegenerative retinal disorders.

Keywords: ophthalmic gene therapy, non-viral delivery, electro-transfection, age-related macular degeneration, wet AMD, dry AMD, geographic atrophy, retinal diseases, ciliary muscle biofactory, plasmid DNA, PST-611, PST-809, Francine Behar-Cohen, Judith Greciet, drug development, clinical-stage biotech, aflibercept, decorin, transferrin, vision loss treatment, ocular therapy, retinal drug delivery, anti-VEGF, anti-fibrotic, neuroprotection