Restore Vision

What Restore Vision does

Restore Vision Inc. is a clinical-stage Japanese biotechnology company founded in November 2016 and headquartered in Toranomon Hills Business Tower, Tokyo. The company is developing RV-001, an AAV-vector-based optogenetic gene therapy that delivers chimeric rhodopsin to remaining interneurons in the retina, restoring light sensitivity in patients blinded by photoreceptor loss. Its lead indication is retinitis pigmentosa, a designated intractable disease and the second leading cause of blindness in Japan. The therapy is delivered as a single intravitreal injection and is gene-agnostic, meaning it is applicable across patients regardless of the specific RP-causing mutation. RV-001 entered first-in-human Phase I/II clinical trials at Keio University Hospital in February 2025, and positive interim results announced in May 2026 showed all high-dose patients progressing from no light perception to light perception within one month, with one patient achieving measurable chart-based visual acuity on the Berkeley Rudimentary Vision Test.

The company is pre-revenue and does not yet have commercial products. It is funded primarily through equity financing (approximately ¥3.5 billion cumulative through Pre-Series B rounds) supplemented by non-dilutive grants from AMED totaling approximately ¥2.32 billion. Lead investors include Remiges Ventures (Series A lead), Real Tech Fund, ANRI, JIC Venture Growth Investments, Kyoto University Innovation Capital, and corporate VCs from Astellas, Ajinomoto, and Shionogi. Strategic research partnerships are in place with Keio University School of Medicine (co-founder institution), Nagoya Institute of Technology (origin of chimeric rhodopsin technology), Kyoto University (second pipeline), and Kobe Eye Center. The go-to-market plan is to first pursue PMDA approval in Japan leveraging the country's favorable regulatory landscape for intractable diseases, then expand globally with planned US FDA filing. Commercial revenue mechanics, once approved, would follow gene therapy norms — likely premium one-time treatment pricing for an orphan indication with over 300,000 visually impaired patients in Japan and an addressable global market.

Restore Vision's competitive position rests on proprietary chimeric rhodopsin IP developed through long-standing academic collaboration, first-in-class optogenetic gene therapy clinical positioning, strong government and institutional backing through AMED's pharmaceutical startup ecosystem program, and a founding team combining clinical ophthalmology expertise with biotech operational experience. The company is led by co-founder/CEO Yusaku Katada (ophthalmologist, Keio University) and COO Hikaru Miyazaki, supported by CSO Taka Tadokoro (ex-Sanofi, AAV gene therapy background) and CAO Yuko Fukushima (PwC/EY background). Headcount remains in the 1-10 range, reflecting the company's lean clinical-stage status.

Name

Restore Vision

Legal name

株式会社レストアビジョン

Website

https://restore-vis.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Restore Vision is a clinical-stage Japanese biotech developing RV-001, a first-in-class AAV-based optogenetic gene therapy using chimeric rhodopsin to restore vision in patients with retinitis pigmentosa. Pre-revenue, founded 2016, headquartered in Tokyo.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ophthalmic Gene Therapy

NAICS

Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115)

SIC

Ophthalmic Goods (3851)

akta.pro primary industry

Ophthalmology Gene Therapies (HLAAACAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ophthalmic Regeneration (cornea/retina) (HLAAAGAK), Retina & Vitreous Specialists (HLAKAKAE)

Keywords

• Gene therapy
• Optogenetic therapy
• Retinal diseases
• Visual restoration
• Ophthalmic biopharmaceuticals

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Gene Therapy Commercialization: Pre-revenue clinical-stage biotech developing RV-001 for visual restoration. As a rare disease/orphan indication targeting retinitis pigmentosa, the revenue model will likely be premium-priced one-time treatment or subscription-based payment model typical for gene therapies.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Restore Vision is developing RV-001, an optogenetic gene therapy that delivers a proprietary Chimeric Rhodopsin via AAV vectors through a single intravitreal injection to express the protein in remaining interneurons, restoring visual function in patients blinded by photoreceptor loss. The product is gene-agnostic across retinitis pigmentosa genotypes and is currently being evaluated in a Phase I/II first-in-human clinical trial at Keio University Hospital.

Product overview

Restore Vision is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a single gene therapy product pipeline for visual restoration. The company's lead and only product is RV-001, an optogenetic gene therapy using AAV vectors with Chimeric Rhodopsin for the treatment of retinitis pigmentosa and other inherited retinal diseases. The company focuses exclusively on advancing RV-001 through clinical development, with plans for global expansion.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• RV-001 RV-001 is a clinical-stage gene therapy product using adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors carrying the gene encoding Chimeric Rhodopsin, a proprietary protein-based optical sensor. It is administered via a single minimally invasive intravitreal injection that expresses Chimeric Rhodopsin in remaining interneurons after photoreceptor loss, restoring visual function in patients with retinitis pigmentosa regardless of genotype. Currently in Phase I/II clinical trials at Keio University Hospital in Japan.

Quantifiable outcome

• All 3 high-dose patients progressed from no light perception to light perception or better within one month of treatment
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Keio University HospitalcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 13 February 2025Clinical trial site for Phase I/II first-in-human trial of RV-001. First patient dosed February 2025 at this location.
• Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)coreOthers · 28 July 2023Government agency promoting integrated medical research and development. Selected as implementing agency for Strengthening Program for Pharmaceutical Startup Ecosystem with up to ¥4.5 billion in potential support. Received approximately ¥2.15 billion in grants to date.
• Keio University School of MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2023Joint research partner for visual restoration gene therapy development. Co-founded based on research from associate professor Toshihide Kurihara's department. Restore Vision CEO Dr. Yusaku Katada is also a lecturer at the department.
• Nagoya Institute of TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2023Joint research partner for Chimeric Rhodopsin technology development. Professor Hideki Kandori's laboratory at Nagoya Institute of Technology developed the core technology for RV-001.
• Kyoto UniversitysecondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 June 2023Joint research collaboration for development of second pipeline program. Kyoto University Innovation Capital is also an investor.
• Kobe Eye CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2022Located in Kobe's biomedical cluster, Kobe Eye Center collaborates with Restore Vision as part of the biomedical ecosystem supporting the startup's development of gene therapy for retinitis pigmentosa.
• Biotech Incubator SCLcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 March 2022Biotech incubator SCL supports Restore Vision as part of Kobe's biomedical ecosystem, providing incubator services for the startup developing visual restoration gene therapy.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• GenSight Biologics: French clinical-stage biotech developing GS030, an optogenetic gene therapy combining AAV2 vector with ChrimsonR protein for retinitis pigmentosa. Directly comparable as the most similar optogenetic gene therapy competitor targeting the same patient population with similar mechanism of action.
• Nanoscope Therapeutics: U.S. clinical-stage biotech developing MCO-010, an ambient-light activatable optogenetic monotherapy for RP and Stargardt disease. Directly competes in optogenetic RP space with Phase II/III clinical data, representing a faster-moving competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Editas Medicine: Clinical-stage CRISPR gene editing company with lead ophthalmology candidate EDIT-101 (reniSciences) for Leber congenital amaurosis 10 (LCA10). Represents competing gene therapy approach in inherited retinal diseases with similar clinical-stage profile.
• MeiraGTx Holdings: Clinical-stage gene therapy company with multiple ophthalmology programs including botaretigene sparoparvovec for RP (partnered with Janssen/Johnson & Johnson). Directly comparable as a clinical-stage RP gene therapy competitor with broader pipeline.
• Spark Therapeutics (Roche): Acquired by Roche, commercialized Luxturna (voretigene neparvovec), the first FDA-approved gene therapy for an inherited retinal disease (RPE65-mediated IRD). Sets the precedent for ophthalmology gene therapy commercialization though targets a narrower genotype-specific population.
• REGENXBIO: Clinical-stage gene therapy company with AAV platform, developing RGX-121 and other ophthalmology gene therapy programs including RGX-314 (subretinal delivery for wet AMD via partnership with AbbVie). Provides AAV vector technology and competes in ophthalmology gene therapy space.

Emerging players

• Beacon Therapeutics: Clinical-stage ophthalmology gene therapy company developing AAV-based therapies for X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP) and other IRDs. Comparable as an emerging player in the inherited retinal disease gene therapy space with similar patient population focus.
• Coave Therapeutics: Clinical-stage French biotech developing AAV-based gene therapies for ocular and CNS diseases including inherited retinal diseases. Comparable as an emerging European ophthalmology gene therapy peer with similar clinical-stage profile and platform technology approach.
• Kriya Therapeutics: Clinical-stage gene therapy company with ophthalmology programs including KTR-001 for IRDs. Comparable as a well-funded emerging player pursuing AAV gene therapy approaches for inherited retinal diseases with broader therapeutic area focus.

Others

• Nidec (Gene therapy platform via Nidec Drives): While primarily a motor/electronics company, Nidec's precision manufacturing capabilities for AAV vector production and ophthalmic drug delivery systems represent adjacent enabling infrastructure for gene therapy companies like Restore Vision.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/restore.vis

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds5 records

Investors18 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Restore Vision