Tavo Biotherapeutics raises $17M Series A for glaucoma and retinal disease therapies
Tavo Biotherapeutics, a Laguna Beach-based ophthalmology startup, has closed a $17 million Series A led by Pureos Bioventures, with participation from Polaris Partners and existing investor Tau Capital. The funds will advance its two pipeline programmes targeting glaucoma and retinal disease.
Alongside the raise, Tavo appointed Federico Grossi as chief medical officer. Grossi previously held the same role at Apellis Pharmaceuticals, where he led clinical development for two FDA-approved therapies.
Daniel Bradbury, former chief executive officer of Amylin Pharmaceuticals, has joined as board chairman. Pureos Bioventures and Polaris Partners also placed representatives on the board.
Tavo's lead programme, TAV-001, is a topical therapy aimed at modifying glaucoma disease progression rather than just managing symptoms. It targets the autonomic nervous system to address inflammation and degeneration — and is moving into a Phase 2 clinical trial in the second half of 2026.
Its second asset, TAV-002, is a bispecific antibody targeting both VEGF and an upstream signalling protein in serious retinal diseases, including wet and dry age-related macular degeneration and diabetes-related retinopathies.
"This financing enables us to accelerate the advancement of our programs in glaucoma and retinal disease, where there remains a critical need for new, more effective treatment options," said Gary Berman, Tavo's chief executive officer.
Ophthalmology is a competitive space, with deep-pocketed pharma companies already investing heavily in next-generation retinal therapies. $17 million is a modest war chest for a company running both clinical and preclinical programmes — Tavo will likely need to raise again before either asset reaches late-stage trials.
Disease-modifying claims in glaucoma are also notoriously hard to prove clinically, which could complicate the Phase 2 readout.
Pureos Bioventures, a specialist life-sciences fund, leading this round underscores continued conviction among dedicated biotech investors in ophthalmology's unmet needs — particularly disease-modifying approaches rather than symptom management. The appointment of a chief medical officer who steered two FDA-approved therapies to market at Apellis suggests Tavo is positioning early for a regulatory-ready clinical programme, even at the Series A stage.
Read more: Morningstar
