Citrus Therapeutics is an ophthalmic company serving scientists, clinicians, and patients. For scientists, it focuses on the development of novel therapeutics and delivery technologies for the treatment of ocular disease. The company is evaluating novel drugs that treat macular ischemia in severe stages of diabetic retinopathy. The drug may also be beneficial in geographic atrophy which is a severe form of “dry” age-related macular degeneration and potential sequelae from long-term repeat anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment for “wet” age-related macular degeneration.

For clinicians, the company is innovating the way various clinical images (such as color fundus photographs, fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography, and auto-fluorescent images) are shared. Currently, photographs are stored on local computers and are only accessible to those computers that are on the same network or server. While ‘satellite clinics’ become more common, having remote access to these photographs for both providers and patients is becoming increasingly demanded. Citrus Therapeutics is developing a cloud-based technology which preserves the privacy of the patient, and the accessibility to the provider.

For patients, the company seeks to operate as a mobile application and website that enables patients with eyes disease to connect, share, and communicate with each other. Citrus Therapeutics will enable patients who have visual impairment to have a sense of community among themselves.