RetroSense Therapeutics develops gene therapy for vision restoration

RetroSense Therapeutics is one of those growing numbers of companies that is helping bridge Detroit and Ann Arbor. The Ann Arbor-based startup is developing a gene therapy for vision restoration with technology licensed from Wayne State University in Detroit.The 1-year-old firm is extracting a new gene from blue-green algae that helps make cells more photo sensitive. The idea is to apply this gene to human cells to regenerate photo receptors in the retina. RetroSense Therapeutics spent its first year advancing the technology and building out its leadership team. Right now the company employs three people and a number of consultants.”We’re talking to additional advisors as well and we will probably bring a few on,” says Sean Ainsworth, CEO of RetroSense Therapeutics.Ainsworth and his partners are in the process of fundraising for RetroSense Therapeutics’ clinical trials. They plan to continue the company’s pre-clinical development of the technology over the next year and commercialize it within 4-5 years at the earliest.Source: Sean Ainsworth, CEO of RetroSense TherapeuticsWriter: Jon Zemke