Celularity Forms Strategic Partnership With DefEYE To Advance Ophthalmic Biologic Therapies

Celularity Inc., a regenerative and cellular medicine company focused on treating age-related and degenerative diseases, has entered into a strategic partnership with DefEYE, Inc., a newly established ophthalmic technology company. As part of the agreement, Celularity has executed an exclusive license and pricing arrangement following its in-kind investment in DefEYE’s $12 million Series Seed Preferred Equity funding round.

"The partnership reflects a strategic opportunity to align for both companies and signals the start of a promising new chapter for regenerative therapies in eye care," said Robert J. Hariri, M.D., Ph.D., Celularity's Chairman and CEO. "Our in-kind investment and exclusive license and pricing agreement exemplify Celularity's commitment to drive innovation through strategic partnerships. We are excited to be part of DefEYE's focused expansion into the ophthalmic space and to demonstrate the transformative power of placental-derived regenerative biologic solutions. This strategy fits into our objective of accessing new markets for our portfolio of commercial products," Hariri said.

DefEYE builds upon the strong commercial foundation of Verséa Ophthalmics, which has demonstrated robust growth since its launch in August 2022. In 2024, DefEYE reported nearly 70% year-over-year sales growth, reflecting increasing demand for advanced biologic eye care solutions. The company plans to use the new funding to expand its portfolio of decellularized biologic therapies, including Biovance® and Biovance® 3L Ocular (single and tri-layer Decellularized Amniotic Basement Membranes), Interfyl® (a flowable connective tissue product), and additional R&D initiatives for future innovations.

"This strategic collaboration with Celularity strengthens our capabilities and core competencies," said Rob Sambursky, M.D., CEO of DefEYE, Inc. "With Celularity's deep scientific and manufacturing expertise, we believe that we will be well positioned to scale and deliver meaningful clinical management solutions to both physicians and patients."

Under the agreement, Celularity will serve as the exclusive contract manufacturer for DefEYE’s ophthalmic biologics portfolio, which includes Biovance®, Biovance® 3L, Interfyl®, and CentaFlex®. The partnership ensures continuity of expertise through the involvement of key team members from the original Verséa Ophthalmics group. Additionally, Celularity will hold the right to appoint one member to DefEYE’s five-member board of directors, strengthening its influence in the evolving ophthalmic biologics market.