Synakis

What they’re doing: Current gas and oil treatments for eye diseases cause negative reactions and leave patients with a very long and cumbersome recovery. Synakis has created an injectable hydrogel made from a biodegradable and biocompatible polymer that is injected directly into the eye, making for quicker recovery and a possible substitute for retinal surgery.

How will this be used in the real world?

Hundreds of thousands of Canadians suffer from retinal detachment and/or glaucoma. Treatment for serious eye diseases like these haven’t been updated in a very long time. But Synakis’ hydrogel formulated specifically for the eye has the potential to speed up recovery time and reduce the need for multiple surgeries, giving patients a significantly better quality of life and easing the burden on our healthcare system.