SunRegen Healthcare AG has won the Startup Slam competition at the BIO Europe biotechnology conference. The company from the canton Basel-Landschaft develops treatments for neurodegenerative eye diseases.
Eight international life sciences startup companies competed in the Johnson & Johnson-sponsored Startup Slam, announced a statement. Yuhong Dong, co-founder and director of SunRegen Healthcare, represented her company at the competition at BIO Europe. With only three minutes to present the potential of SunRegen Healthcare’s treatments for neurodegenerative eye diseases, she managed to impress experienced investors and potential partners.
Founded in March 2017, SunRegen Healthcare has already participated in BaseLaunch, an accelerator programme for healthcare startups launched by the location promotion organization BaselArea.swiss. Alongside therapies for neurodegenerative eye diseases, the startup also focuses on neurological and neuromuscular diseases. The company’s first product candidates are for the treatment of optic atrophy, as well as diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
As winner of the Startup Slam, SunRegen Healthcare has the chance to participate in a mentoring programme led by Johnson & Johnson Innovation. Harpal Kumar, Head of Johnson & Johnson Innovation in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, said he was looking forward to working with SunRegen Healthcare, because the company’s developments could drive real change. Another jury member, Ingrid Teigland Akay of Hadean Ventures, described the Basel company as a “very worthy winner”.