Modulight Biotherapeutics Announces $12 Million Seed Funding for Novel Optogenetic Therapy to Treat Neurological Disorders

BOSTON, Nov. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Modulight Biotherapeutics, developer of novel optogenetic platform for the treatment of neurological disorders, announced today the closing of its Seed funding round raising $12.2 million. The Seed round was led by Jibe Ventures and LocalGlobe, with participation from Nexus Neurotech Ventures, RedSeed VC, Secret Chord Ventures, Fresh Fund, Saras Capital, SilverArc Capital and Sha'ar Mivnim. The funding will enable the Company to accelerate the development of its optogenetic technology platform and advance its therapeutic product pipeline towards the clinic.

"This funding marks a significant milestone for Modulight Biotherapeutics as we advance our mission to develop light-based therapeutics for the treatments of severe neurological diseases," said Yotam Eldar, MD, CEO, Modulight Biotherapeutics. "We welcome our partners and investors, underscoring their collective confidence in Modulight's vision, strategy and innovative solution. The financial round will allow us to enhance the preclinical development of our optogenetic switch for the treatment of trigeminal pain and initiate IND-enabling studies, manufacturing and discussions with the FDA."

"The brain is extraordinarily complex and we cannot continue to treat it nonspecifically. This investment validates our unique approach to performing precise circuit-based neuromodulation of the neural pathways underlying different neurological conditions. We've already seen very promising efficacy in multiple animal models of neurological disorders including pain, epilepsy, and movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease and essential tremor. We believe our proprietary technology and therapeutic pipeline have the potential to transform the treatment of neurological disorders," added Dr. Eldar.

"We are excited to invest in Modulight Biotherapeutics' financing round," said John Propst, PhD, MBA, Principal at Nexus NeuroTech Ventures. "At Nexus, we invest in breakthrough technologies at the intersection of neuroscience and engineering that have the potential to transform patient care. Modulight's optogenetic neuromodulation platform represents a fundamentally new way to target neural circuits with cell-type and pathway-level precision—something long sought but until now technically out of reach. We believe the company's scientific foundation, executional excellence, and vision position it to redefine how we treat neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders driven by neuronal hyperexcitability. We're proud to support this exceptional team as they pioneer a new therapeutic modality in brain health."

About Modulight Biotherapeutics Optogenetics Platform

Modulight Biotherapeutics develops cutting-edge technologies for precise, targeted treatment of neurological disorders by addressing dysfunctional neuronal activity exactly where and when it occurs.

Today's treatments for neurological disorders - such as drugs, surgery, or electrical stimulation - act broadly, often affecting large brain regions or brain networks indiscriminately. Yet the brain is far from uniform: it is a complex network of more than 86 billion neurons organized into distinct circuits and pathways.

Our optogenetic technology represents a fundamental leap. By enabling selective expression of light-sensitive proteins (called opsins) in specific neurons, we can modulate their activity with light—targeting the right neurons, in the right place, at the right time. This allows us to precisely rebalance hyperexcited brain networks that drive debilitating disorders such as severe chronic pain, epilepsy, and movement disorders—all without damaging surrounding tissue or interfering with healthy brain function.

Our therapeutic platform is based on eOPN3¹, a proprietary, hypersensitive, and biostable inhibitory opsin designed for clinical use. eOPN3 exerts a robust inhibitory effect at the presynaptic terminal, enabling pathway-specific neuromodulation. This versatile therapeutic platform is being developed for a range of neurological diseases. Our early preclinical studies show that eOPN3-based treatment has high efficacy in multiple animal models of pain, epilepsy, and movement disorders. As proof of concept, eOPN3 is initially being investigated for the treatment of trigeminal pain, a severe and often drug-resistant facial pain disorder. For this indication, eOPN3 can be delivered directly into the trigeminal ganglion through a simple, outpatient procedure.

About Modulight Biotherapeutics

Modulight Biotherapeutics is pioneering a new era of medicine for people living with neurological disorders - one that is fast-acting, precise, and designed to provide real relief without side effects. The Company's platform uses a unique approach for modulating neuronal activity using light-activated proteins that are specifically targeted to pathological cells and neural pathways. Modulight's therapeutic platform is based on technology licensed from YEDA, the commercial arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science. For more information, please visit https://www.modulight.bio/

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¹ Mahn M. et al. Efficient optogenetic silencing of neurotransmitter release with a mosquito rhodopsin. Neuron, Volume 109, Issue 10, 1621 - 1635.e8

SOURCE Modulight Biotherapeutics