Pharma Latch
Pharma Latch is a Dublin-based medical device company developing an intradermal drug delivery platform based on opposing angled microneedle arrays. The company partners with pharmaceutical and biotech developers across vaccines, biologics, oncology, and cell therapy applications. Products are pre-approval and not yet commercially sold.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersDublin, Ireland
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Pharma Latch does
Pharma Latch (legal entity: Latch Medical Limited) is a Dublin-based medical device company developing intradermal drug delivery technology. The company's core offering is the PL-Intradermal Drug Delivery Platform, which uses pairs of opposing angled microneedles that work together to gently stretch the skin, enabling full, consistent needle insertion to a prescribed 820 μm depth governed by device geometry rather than user technique. The fluid pathway supports injection volumes up to 3 mL and viscosities up to 60 cP without requiring drug reformulation, and the device is compatible with standard Luer Lock or slip syringes. The product portfolio spans the full development lifecycle: Pharma Latch Pico for pre-clinical small-animal research, Pharma Latch Hollow (PLH) — a sterile, single-use, healthcare professional-administered device currently on the FDA 510(k) pathway — and Pharma Latch Self for patient self-administration.
The company operates a B2B partnership model, engaging pharmaceutical and biotechnology developers across pre-clinical through commercial use. Revenue is anticipated from device licensing and partnerships plus hardware sales, though products are explicitly in development and pre-approval, not for sale in the US, EU or any other jurisdiction. Manufacturing for the PLH device is established at FDA and ISO certified facilities in the United States. The company targets four primary therapeutic segments: vaccine developers (including mRNA, DNA, peptide, and viral vector platforms), biologics companies (monoclonal antibodies and peptides), oncology and immunotherapy developers, and cell therapy developers. No paying customers are disclosed.
Pharma Latch was founded as a University College Dublin spin-out and is led by CEO/Co-founder Ronan Byrne (MBA, UCD Smurfit) and CTO/Co-founder Dr. Nicky Bertollo PhD (UNSW Sydney), the named inventor of the Latch platform tissue anchoring technology. Strategic investors include West Pharmaceutical Services (minority investment, 2022), Enterprise Ireland, Enterprise Equity, and Trinity Biotech (strategic equity investment in principle, 2025, supported by Perceptive Advisors). Industry recognition includes the 2025 'Heart of Pharma' commendation at Pharmapack Europe, 2025 Life Science Industry Awards shortlistings (Innovation of the Year; Medtech Excellence Award), and the World Economic Forum's 2020 Top Ten Emerging Technologies designation for microneedle drug delivery.
Pharma Latch firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Pharma Latch
- Legal name
- Latch Medical Limited
- Website
- https://pharmalatch.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Pharma Latch is a Dublin-based medical device company developing an intradermal drug delivery platform based on opposing angled microneedle arrays. The company partners with pharmaceutical and biotech developers across vaccines, biologics, oncology, and cell therapy applications. Products are pre-approval and not yet commercially sold.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Pharma Latch industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Drug Delivery Devices
- NAICS
- Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing (339112)
- SIC
- Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Vaccine Delivery & Administration Systems (needle-free, microneedle patches, intranasal/oral) (HLAAAEAF)
Keywords
Where Pharma Latch is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dublin
- HQ country
- Ireland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Pharma Latch business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Device Licensing and Partnerships: Pharma Latch generates revenue through licensing its platform technology to pharmaceutical companies for use in drug delivery applications. The company offers partnerships across the R&D journey from pre-clinical testing through commercial use.
- Device Sales: Sale of proprietary intradermal delivery devices (Pharma Latch Pico, Hollow, and Self) for pre-clinical, clinical, and commercial applications.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
Pharma Latch product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Pharma Latch develops and licenses a proprietary intradermal drug delivery platform based on opposing angled microneedle arrays that gently stretch the skin to deliver precise, repeatable injections to a depth of 820 μm. The platform is delivered through three device variants—Pharma Latch Pico for pre-clinical small animal research, Pharma Latch Hollow for HCP-administered clinical and commercial use, and Pharma Latch Self for patient self-administration—and is offered to pharmaceutical partners across the full R&D lifecycle from pre-clinical testing through commercial use.
Product overview
Pharma Latch offers an intradermal drug delivery platform technology based on opposing angled microneedles that work in pairs to gently stretch the skin, enabling precise and repeatable intradermal delivery. The platform spans the full drug development lifecycle through three main devices: Pharma Latch Pico (pre-clinical testing in small animals), Pharma Latch Hollow (HCP-administered clinical and commercial use), and Pharma Latch Self (patient self-administration). The platform is designed to overcome challenges of traditional intradermal delivery including skin compression, tenting, high back pressures, and leakage, supporting delivery of high volumes (up to 3 mL) and viscosities (up to 60 cP) previously not possible for intradermal routes.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Pharma Latch Pico: Pre-clinical research device for small animal testing in mice/rats with intradermal technology adapted for small animal research.
- Pharma Latch Hollow (PLH)
- Pharma Latch Self
Products and services
- Pharma Latch Pico A specialized device for pre-clinical research use in rats and mice, engineered to accommodate highly elastic, thin animal skin and ensure accurate, consistent, and complete dose delivery to the dermal layer, eliminating variability. For pharmaceutical and academic pre-clinical researchers.
- Pharma Latch Hollow (PLH) A healthcare professional-administered, sterile-packed, single-use medical device for intradermal injection of liquid formulations in humans. Features six intradermic steel needles distributing injection, compatible with any Luer Lock or slip syringe, currently on FDA 510(k) pathway for U.S. approval. For pharmaceutical partners in clinical and commercial use.
- Pharma Latch Self A self-injection device for patient self-administration of drugs at home, with a user-friendly design that maintains precision while offering convenience. Supports volumes up to 3 mL and viscosities up to 60 cP, with single-use or re-usable options and integrated compliance monitoring. For pharmaceutical partners enabling at-home patient self-administration.
Quantifiable outcome
- 100% intradermal injection success rate
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Pharma Latch
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Pharma Latch technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Pharma Latch partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Trinity BiotechcoreStrategic collaboration to combine Trinity Biotech's AI-native CGM+ wearable biosensor platform with Pharma Latch's intradermal drug delivery technology for developing precision therapeutic solutions targeting diabetes, obesity, and other metabolic conditions. Partnership aims to integrate data streams from both technologies for precision therapeutic delivery. Trinity Biotech has agreed in principle to make a strategic equity investment in Latch Medical, supported by Perceptive Advisors.
- The Pandemic InstitutecoreMemorandum of Understanding signed to collaborate on pandemic preparedness and response. Projects include patient acceptability of intradermal injection technology, pre-clinical immune response assessments, and clinical trial evaluations. The Pandemic Institute brings together biomedical researchers, data scientists, and behavioral experts to tackle emerging infections and pandemic threats.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Pharma Latch competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Enable Injections: Developer of a large-volume subcutaneous bolus injector (enFuse) for high-volume biologics. Comparable as an innovator targeting delivery of high-volume, high-viscosity therapeutics outside the traditional syringe format.
- Gerresheimer: Manufacturer of pharmaceutical packaging and drug delivery devices, including syringes, pens and autoinjectors. Comparable as a B2B supplier of pharma-grade delivery devices to the same end customer base Pharma Latch targets.
- Ypsomed: Swiss specialist in self-injection and pen injector systems for pharma and biotech. Particularly comparable to Pharma Latch Self, addressing the same patient self-administration trend for biologics and chronic therapies.
- Stevanato Group: Provider of glass primary packaging and drug delivery device manufacturing, including pre-filled syringes and injection systems. Comparable as a device-focused supplier enabling pharma customers' drug delivery needs across injectables and biologics.
- Vaxxas: Australian developer of high-density microneedle patch technology for vaccines and therapeutics. The closest direct comparator on the microneedle vaccine delivery approach, with overlapping use cases around dose sparing and pandemic preparedness.
- Nanopass Technologies: Israeli microneedle-based drug delivery company with a focus on intradermal delivery of vaccines and biologics. Direct competitor in the microneedle mechanism Pharma Latch uses, targeting essentially the same pharma applications.
- Kindeva Drug Delivery: Global CDMO focused on inhalation, injectables, and transdermal drug delivery. Comparable as a delivery-focused partner to pharma companies that combines formulation know-how with device supply, addressing overlapping end-use cases.
Broad incumbents
- West Pharmaceutical Services: Market leader in elastomeric components, containment systems, and injectable drug delivery. Directly comparable as both a strategic investor in Pharma Latch and a major incumbent supplier of delivery and packaging components to the same pharma customers.
- Becton Dickinson (BD): Global medical technology leader with a major Pharmaceutical Systems segment covering pre-filled syringes, injection devices, and drug delivery systems. Comparable as a primary incumbent in the injectable drug delivery space in which Pharma Latch is seeking to compete.
Emerging players
- Oval Medical Technologies: Early-stage developer of autoinjector technology for emergency and self-administration use. Comparable as a smaller, focused delivery device innovator addressing unmet pharma delivery needs with novel device architectures.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Pharma Latch financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Pharma Latch leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Pharma Latch funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Pharma Latch M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Pharma Latch
What does Pharma Latch do?
Pharma Latch develops and licenses a proprietary intradermal drug delivery platform based on opposing angled microneedle arrays that gently stretch the skin to deliver precise, repeatable injections to a depth of 820 μm. The platform is delivered through three device variants—Pharma Latch Pico for pre-clinical small animal research, Pharma Latch Hollow for HCP-administered clinical and commercial use, and Pharma Latch Self for patient self-administration—and is offered to pharmaceutical partners across the full R&D lifecycle from pre-clinical testing through commercial use.
Is Pharma Latch a public or private company?
Pharma Latch is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was Pharma Latch founded?
Pharma Latch was founded in 2019. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Pharma Latch based?
Pharma Latch is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, in the Europe region.
How does Pharma Latch make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Device Licensing and Partnerships are the primary driver. The others are device Sales.
Who are Pharma Latch's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Enable Injections, Gerresheimer, Ypsomed, Stevanato Group, Vaxxas, Nanopass Technologies and Kindeva Drug Delivery. Broad incumbents are West Pharmaceutical Services and Becton Dickinson (BD). Oval Medical Technologies is listed as an emerging player.
Does Pharma Latch have an API?
No public API is recorded for Pharma Latch.
What industry is Pharma Latch in?
Pharma Latch's product category is Drug Delivery Devices. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAAEAF, Vaccine Delivery & Administration Systems (needle-free, microneedle patches, intranasal/oral). Its NAICS code is 339112 and its SIC code is 3841.