ClearSight Therapeutics Receives NIH SBIR Phase I Award for Conjunctivitis and EKC Research

Sep 22, 2026

Competitive National Eye Institute funding provides external validation of ClearSight's proposed scientific program and supports a one-year investigation of a preservative-free ophthalmic formulation in acute infectious conjunctivitis and epidemic keratoconjunctivitis.

DALLAS - Sept. 22, 2026 - PRLog -- ClearSight Therapeutics, Inc. Receives NIH SBIR Phase I Award for Research in Acute Infectious Conjunctivitis and EKC

Competitive federal award provides external scientific validation of the proposed research program and funds a disciplined path to new evidence

DALLAS, September 22nd, 2026 - ClearSight Therapeutics, Inc., a Dallas-based eye-care company, today announced that it has received a $306,852 Small Business Innovation Research Phase I award from the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health. The competitive award marks a major scientific milestone for ClearSight and supports a one-year investigational research program involving a preservative-free ophthalmic formulation in acute infectious conjunctivitis and epidemic keratoconjunctivitis.

The project, award number R43EY039140, runs from September 15, 2026 through August 31, 2027. ClearSight Chief Scientific Officer Nuria Jimenez, PhD, PMP, will serve as principal investigator. The Notice of Award identifies the project as research and development and states that it does not support an NIH-defined clinical trial.

Why this award matters

NIH funding decisions follow rigorous peer review of scientific and technical merit and a second-level assessment of mission relevance. Reviewers consider the importance of the proposed research, the rigor and feasibility of the approach, and whether the investigators and organization have the expertise and resources to carry out the work. For ClearSight, the award provides meaningful external validation of the proposed scientific program and creates an accountable path for turning a promising research premise into credible evidence. It does not predetermine the results; it makes the disciplined work to generate those results possible.

"This award is a defining milestone for ClearSight. Following competitive review of the scientific and technical merit of our proposed work, NIH support gives us both meaningful external validation and non-dilutive capital to build the evidence base with rigor. It is a powerful vote of confidence in the importance of the question, the strength of the research plan, and our team's ability to execute."

Patrick Smale, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer

"The questions at the center of this program matter to patients, clinicians, and the broader eye-care community. NIH support gives us the opportunity to investigate them with the rigor they deserve, generate credible data, and let the evidence guide what comes next. I am proud to lead this work alongside our team and collaborators."

Nuria Jimenez, PhD, PMP, Chief Scientific Officer and Principal Investigator

"I am excited and grateful for this initial support from the National Eye Institute, which represents an important step in advancing our innovation toward clinical development. This funding will enable us to generate the rigorous data needed to further validate the technology and its potential to address important unmet needs in topical ocular therapy. As a co-inventor and drug developer, I am particularly encouraged by the opportunity to translate this innovation into a product where patient safety, efficacy, and meaningful clinical benefit remain our highest priorities."

Suchismita Acharya, PhD, Co-Founder, Co-Inventor and Board Member

The SBIR program supports research and development by eligible small businesses. Beyond providing non-dilutive capital, the award gives ClearSight a structured milestone period through August 2027 and an accountable framework for translating a scientific premise into data. The work will proceed under a defined research plan, milestones, and federal reporting obligations.

Important regulatory context

ClearSight's NIH-funded research program will study preservative-free ophthalmic formulation in acute infectious conjunctivitis and EKC. This investigational research is separate from the labeled uses of any OTC lubricant eye drop marketed under M018 and does not establish safety, efficacy, or regulatory approval for treating either condition.

About ClearSight Therapeutics

ClearSight Therapeutics is a Dallas-based eye-care company founded in 2023 by industry veterans to develop accessible solutions for common ocular conditions. The company maintains distinct commercial and research programs, including OTC lubricant development under applicable monograph labeling and separately described investigational research. Learn more at clearsighttx.com.

NIH funding acknowledgment

Research reported in this release is supported by the National Eye Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number R43EY039140. A total of $306,852, or 100% of the project, is financed with federal funds. A total of $0, or 0%, is financed with non-governmental funds. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

Media contact

Patrick Smale
Co-founder & CEO
ClearSight Therapeutics
[email protected]
972-983-7761

Contact
Patrick Smale
***@clearsighttx.com

Photos: (Click photo to enlarge)




Source: ClearSight Therapeutics, Inc.

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