DefEYE
DefEYE, Inc. is a US-based ophthalmic startup commercializing BIOVANCE 3L Ocular, a triple-layer decellularized basement membrane allograft for ocular surface disease management and ocular surgery, sold directly to ophthalmologists and optometrists under an exclusive license from Celularity Inc.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2025
- HeadquartersSarasota, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What DefEYE does
DefEYE, Inc. is a US-based ophthalmic startup that commercializes decellularized biologic allografts for ocular surface disease management and ocular surgery. The company's flagship product, BIOVANCE® 3L Ocular, is a triple-layer decellularized basement membrane (DBM) allograft derived from human amniotic membrane tissue. Through a proprietary decellularization process, donor cell debris and proinflammatory chorion are removed while preserving the extracellular matrix scaffold, growth factors, and structural proteins that support corneal epithelial cell adhesion, migration, and proliferation.
BIOVANCE 3L Ocular is differentiated by an exclusive triple-layer architecture that allows glueless, sutureless surgery without a symblepharon ring, six available shapes and sizes, aseptic processing with E-beam terminal sterilization, and room-temperature storage that eliminates cold-chain logistics. The product is positioned for persistent epithelial defects, pterygium surgery, corneal reconstruction, conjunctiva and fornix repair, neurotrophic keratitis, chemical or thermal burns, and other ocular surface conditions requiring biologic wound covering.
The company generates revenue through direct sales of BIOVANCE 3L Ocular to ophthalmologists, optometrists, and clinical eye care practices in the United States under a reimbursement-driven model that includes insurance verification, coding and billing assistance, and prior authorization support. Founded in 2025 and led by CEO Rob Sambursky, MD, DefEYE operates under an exclusive licensing and strategic partnership with Celularity Inc., which supplies the underlying placental-based biologic platform and holds the BIOVANCE® trademark, and is backed by ExSight Ventures and Celularity as investors.
DefEYE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DefEYE
- Legal name
- DefEYE, Inc.
- Website
- https://defeye.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2025
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- DefEYE, Inc. is a US-based ophthalmic startup commercializing BIOVANCE 3L Ocular, a triple-layer decellularized basement membrane allograft for ocular surface disease management and ocular surgery, sold directly to ophthalmologists and optometrists under an exclusive license from Celularity Inc.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DefEYE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Ophthalmic Biologics
- NAICS
- Ophthalmic Goods Manufacturing (339115), Ophthalmic Goods Merchant Wholesalers (423460)
- SIC
- Biological Products, (No Disgnostic Substances) (2836)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cornea, External Disease & Refractive Surgery (LASIK/PRK) (HLAKAKAF)
Keywords
Where DefEYE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sarasota
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
DefEYE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Biologic Product Sales (BIOVANCE 3L Ocular): Revenue from selling decellularized biologic allograft products for ocular surface disease management and ocular surgery. Products are sold directly to healthcare providers and clinical practices. The company offers support for insurance verification, coding, billing, and prior authorization, suggesting a reimbursement-driven revenue model typical of medical device/biologics companies.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
DefEYE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DefEYE sells BIOVANCE 3L Ocular, a triple-layer decellularized basement membrane (DBM) allograft used as a biological membrane covering for ocular surface diseases, persistent epithelial defects, pterygium surgery, and other ophthalmic surgical procedures. The product is sold directly to eye care surgeons, ophthalmologists, and optometrists in the United States, with bundled reimbursement support including insurance verification, coding/billing assistance, and prior authorization.
Product overview
DefEYE is a rapidly growing ocular company focused on delivering a portfolio of innovative decellularized biologic solutions for eye care. The core product is BIOVANCE® 3L Ocular, the only decellularized basement membrane (DBM) with a proprietary triple-layer architecture designed for managing ocular surface diseases, persistent epithelial defects, and pterygium surgery. The product portfolio centers on this biologic platform, which leverages preserved natural epithelial basement membrane and intact extracellular matrix (ECM) structure to support corneal epithelial cell adhesion, migration, and proliferation.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- BIOVANCE 3L Ocular Triple-layer decellularized basement membrane (DBM) allograft used as a biological membrane covering for ocular surface disease management, persistent epithelial defects, pterygium surgery, corneal reconstruction, conjunctiva repair, and fornix reconstruction. Aseptically processed and terminally sterilized with E-beam irradiation, available in six shapes and sizes, and sold to eye care surgeons, ophthalmologists, and optometrists in the United States.
Quantifiable outcome
- Stronger adhesion and greater proliferation demonstrated in peer-reviewed in vitro comparison studies
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use DefEYE
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
DefEYE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
DefEYE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Celularity Inc.coreStrategic partnership involving exclusive license, investment, and collaboration on biologic solutions for eye care. Celularity provides its biologics portfolio including placental stem cell technology, while DefEYE gains exclusive marketing rights in certain territories and plans to scale its offerings using proceeds from its funding round.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights6 records
DefEYE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TissueTech / Bio-Tissue: TissueTech (parent of Bio-Tissue) markets the PROKERA family of cryopreserved amniotic membrane products for ocular surface disease and surgical applications — the most directly competitive product family to BIOVANCE 3L Ocular in the ophthalmic surface biologics category.
- Amniox Medical: Amniox Medical sells NEOX and CLARIX placental-based tissue allografts used in wound healing and surgical applications including ophthalmology, directly overlapping DefEYE's amniotic/placental biologic approach.
- MiMedx Group: MiMedx commercializes dehydrated human amnion/chorion membrane (dHACM) allografts (EPIFIX, AMNIOFIX) across wound care and surgical specialties including ophthalmic applications, competing with BIOVANCE in placental-tissue biologics.
Broad incumbents
- Organogenesis Holdings: Organogenesis is a publicly traded regenerative medicine company with a portfolio of bioactive and tissue-based wound-healing products, representing a broader incumbent in the biologics space adjacent to DefEYE's placental platform.
- Celularity Inc. Celularity is DefEYE's exclusive licensor and co-investor in placental-stem-cell and amniotic biologics; it operates broadly across regenerative medicine and is the source/manufacturer of BIOVANCE.
- Smith+Nephew (Ophthalmics): Smith+Nephew's ophthalmics and advanced wound management portfolios include biologics and tissue-based products relevant to ocular surface repair, positioning it as a broad incumbent adjacent to DefEYE's niche.
- Bausch + Lomb: Bausch + Lomb is a major ophthalmic franchise covering surgical devices, intraocular lenses, and ocular surface products — a broad incumbent whose surgical and surface-disease portfolios overlap with DefEYE's clinical customer base.
Regional players
- Katena Products: Katena Products supplies ophthalmic surgical instruments, devices, and biologics to eye surgeons globally, with product overlap in ocular surgery consumables adjacent to BIOVANCE's surgical use cases.
Emerging players
- Skye Biologics: Skye Biologics develops placental- and amniotic-based tissue allografts for wound care and surgical applications, overlapping with DefEYE's placental tissue platform in a smaller, niche competitor profile.
- CorneaGen: CorneaGen focuses on corneal tissue supply, keratoprosthetics, and ocular surface solutions, addressing overlapping patient populations (corneal disease, ocular surface disorders) served by BIOVANCE.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
DefEYE social profiles
Digital presenceDefEYE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DefEYE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
DefEYE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DefEYE 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 DefEYE
What does DefEYE do?
DefEYE sells BIOVANCE 3L Ocular, a triple-layer decellularized basement membrane (DBM) allograft used as a biological membrane covering for ocular surface diseases, persistent epithelial defects, pterygium surgery, and other ophthalmic surgical procedures. The product is sold directly to eye care surgeons, ophthalmologists, and optometrists in the United States, with bundled reimbursement support including insurance verification, coding/billing assistance, and prior authorization.
Is DefEYE a public or private company?
DefEYE is a private company. It is classified as venture growth investor backed and is currently operating.
When was DefEYE founded?
DefEYE was founded in 2025. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is DefEYE based?
DefEYE is headquartered in Sarasota, United States, in the North America region.
How does DefEYE make money?
One revenue line is on record: biologic Product Sales (BIOVANCE 3L Ocular).
Who are DefEYE's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TissueTech / Bio-Tissue, Amniox Medical and MiMedx Group. Broad incumbents are Organogenesis Holdings, Celularity Inc., Smith+Nephew (Ophthalmics) and Bausch + Lomb. Katena Products is listed as a regional player. Emerging players are Skye Biologics and CorneaGen.
Does DefEYE have an API?
No public API is recorded for DefEYE.
What industry is DefEYE in?
DefEYE's product category is Ophthalmic Biologics. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAKAKAF, Cornea, External Disease & Refractive Surgery (LASIK/PRK). Its NAICS code is 339115 and its SIC code is 2836.