PHOTOSWITCH BIOSCIENCES, INC.

MENLO PARK, CA · Biotech · Private

Small-molecule photoswitch therapeutic compounds for restoring vision in retinal degeneration

Claim this profile

Follows are private to you and power your alerts

Updated Oct 23, 2026

Sector: Biotech
Headquarters: MENLO PARK, CA
Latest Form D: $500K, Mar 2018
Total capital: $3.5M

Federal grants: $2M; 3 awards · 2015–2016; Rank in peer group#24 of 326
Private capital raised: $1.5M; 2 Form D · last Mar 2018; 103 months since last filing
Federal contracts: None on recordNo federal contract awards found.
Granted patents: 2; 4 pending · first 2021; Rank in peer group#58 of 326

Capital timeline

Latest events

Mar 2018Private capital raisedForm D · SEC · 2nd filing$500K
Oct 2017Private capital raisedForm D · SEC · 1st filing$1.0M
May 2016Federal grantHealth and Human S · Phase II · Vision Restoration with Photoswitch Technology$488K
Aug 2015Federal grantHealth and Human S · Phase II · Ion Channel Screening Using Photoswitches$595K
Jan 2015Federal grantHealth and Human S · Phase II · Vision Restoration with Photoswitch Technology$949K

Node area is scaled to amount. Form D reports securities sold, which can differ from an announced round; filings are numbered in the order they were made.

Federal first

33months

from PHOTOSWITCH BIOSCIENCES, INC.’s first federal award to its first private round.

First federal award · Jan 2015: Health and Human S · $949K
First Form D · Oct 2017: $1.0M · 1st Form D
Awards before first raise: 3 awards

An association in public records, not a cause or a prediction.

Standing among 326 peers

Line = median

Biotech · Molecule

Federal grants#24 · top 7%
Granted patents#58 · top 18%
Linked publications#24 · top 7%

Cumulative measures favor older companies. Rankings describe position today, not outcome. Below the median, ranks show as a band rather than a number.

Founders and team

Researcher links verified by same-company patents and grants

Andrew BlatzResearcherDirectorLinked by 2 patents · $595K in grants as PI
Jay TrautmanResearcherExecutive Officer, DirectorLinked by $1.4M in grants as PI
Douglas CrawfordDirectorNamed in SEC Form D filings
Peter ParkerDirectorNamed in SEC Form D filings

What it has protected

USPTO · 2 granted of 6

Jun 13, 2024PendingSystems And Methods For DetectionUSPTOApplication 18204322
Aug 15, 2023GrantedSystems And Methods For DetectionUSPTOUS 11,726,042
Jun 22, 2021GrantedSystems And Methods For DetectionUSPTOUS 11,041,806

Show all 6 patent records

Systems And Methods For DetectionJun 13, 2024 · Application 18204322Pending
Systems And Methods For DetectionAug 15, 2023 · US 11,726,042Granted
Systems And Methods For DetectionJun 22, 2021 · US 11,041,806Granted
Systems And Methods For DetectionApplication PCTUS2018013188Pending
Systems And Methods For DetectionApplication 62444564Pending
Photoswitch-enabled Ion Channel Assay SystemApplication PCTUS2010039717Pending

Recent research by its founders

Rapidly Assaying Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels using Light-Induced Action Potentials and Fluorescent Recordings of the Membrane Potential in an Instrument with a Novel Detector Array20200 cites
All Optical Interrogation of Voltage Gated Sodium Channels using Next Generation Fast Voltage Sensitive Dyes in a System Suitable for High Throughput Screening20190 cites
A Fast Optical Ion Channel Assay for Assessing Action Potentials in Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Cardiomyocytes20181 cites

GISMO THERAPEUTICS INC.Similar federal contract value in Biotech · null in contracts
ROCKETML, INC.Similar federal contract value in Biotech · null in contracts
PDX PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.Similar federal contract value in Biotech · null in contracts
AVENZOAR PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.Similar federal contract value in Biotech · null in contracts
SYNERGYS BIOTHERAPEUTICS, INC.Similar federal contract value in Biotech · null in contracts
PAIN THERAPEUTICS, INC.Similar federal contract value in Biotech · null in contracts

Regulatory activity · Biotech

Sector-level, not company-level

07 Jul 2026New Animal Drugs; Approval of New Animal Drug Applications; Withdrawal of Approval of New Animal Drug Application; Change of SponsorFood and Drug Administration
30 Jun 2026Medical Devices; General and Plastic Surgery Devices; Classification of the Skin Patch for Treatment of HyperhidrosisFood and Drug Administration
30 Jun 2026Medical Devices; Anesthesiology Devices; Classification of the Monitor for Opioid Induced Impairment of OxygenationFood and Drug Administration
29 Jun 2026Medical Devices; Orthopedic Devices; Classification of the Medial Knee Implanted Shock AbsorberFood and Drug Administration
26 Jun 2026Medical Devices; Neurological Devices; Classification of the External Lower Extremity Nerve Stimulator for Restless Legs SyndromeFood and Drug Administration
26 Jun 2026Medical Devices; General Hospital and Personal Use Devices; Classification of the Infant Supine Sleep SystemFood and Drug Administration

Rules are matched to sector, not to company. Recent activity in a sector is context rather than a signal about this business — until rules are matched to what a company actually builds, the section is shown as context and nothing more.

Sources

Federal grants from SBIR/STTR, NIH, NSF and DoD records. Federal contracts from USAspending.gov. Private capital from SEC Form D. Patents from USPTO. Publications from OpenAlex. Regulatory activity from the Federal Register. Press matched on company name.

How to read this page

Figures show associations in public records, not causes or predictions. Nothing here is investment advice. An em-dash means no record was found under this company's name, not that none exists.

Data freshness

SEC Form D filings through Oct 23, 2026. SBIR and STTR awards through Oct 21, 2026.