OYE Therapeutics Secures $5.475 Million Series A Funding for Caffeine-Based Anesthesia Recovery and Opioid Overdose Treatment

OYE Therapeutics announced the completion of a $5.475 million Series A financing round on November 28, 2025, with proceeds dedicated to advancing clinical development of its high-concentration caffeine therapy platform. The clinical-stage pharmaceutical company is developing the intravenous treatment for two primary applications: accelerating recovery from anesthesia and deep sedation, and addressing opioid-induced respiratory depression, particularly in cases of fentanyl-related intoxication.

The funding round was oversubscribed, indicating strong investor interest in the novel therapeutic approach. WBB Securities LLC served as the placement agent for the transaction, bringing their expertise in life sciences investment banking to facilitate the capital raise. The company plans to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial in the first quarter of 2026, marking a significant milestone in translating preclinical research into human studies.

OYE Therapeutics' investigational therapy represents a differentiated approach to anesthesia recovery, potentially offering faster patient awakening and reduced post-operative complications. The platform builds on preclinical work and has received U.S. military grant funding, suggesting applications in both civilian acute care and military medical settings. The military interest underscores the potential for battlefield applications where rapid recovery from sedation could be critical.

Perhaps most notably, the therapy is designed to complement existing opioid overdose treatments by working alongside naloxone, the standard reversal agent for opioid overdoses. While naloxone displaces opioids from receptors to restore breathing, OYE's caffeine therapy aims to support wakefulness and respiratory drive during recovery from opioid-induced respiratory depression. This combination approach could address limitations of current treatments, particularly in cases of potent synthetic opioids like fentanyl where respiratory depression can persist or recur.

The company's focus on "accepted-as-intractable" clinical problems reflects a strategic approach to pharmaceutical development that targets significant unmet medical needs. The name OYE, standing for "Open Your Eyes," metaphorically represents both the clinical goal of accelerating patient awakening and the company's philosophy of reexamining healthcare challenges that others have considered unsolvable.

The successful Series A financing enables OYE Therapeutics to advance toward clinical validation of their platform. The planned Phase 1 trial will provide initial safety and pharmacokinetic data for the high-concentration caffeine formulation. Positive results could pave the way for larger studies evaluating efficacy in specific patient populations, including those recovering from surgical anesthesia and individuals experiencing opioid overdoses.

This development comes amid growing concern about the opioid crisis and increasing surgical volumes worldwide, creating potential market opportunities for improved recovery solutions. The company's approach of enhancing existing treatments rather than replacing them entirely represents a pragmatic strategy that could facilitate regulatory pathways and clinical adoption if proven effective.

The investment from institutional and high-net-worth clients coordinated through WBB Securities demonstrates confidence in both the scientific premise and commercial potential of OYE Therapeutics' platform. As the company progresses toward clinical trials, the healthcare community will be watching for data that could validate this novel approach to two persistent medical challenges.