London – September 19, 2026 -- UK biotech spin-out Eterna Regeneratives has closed a seed funding round led by Hoxton Ventures and The Venture Collective to commercialize a keratin-based material that regrows tooth enamel, targeting the $43 billion global oral care market.
King's College London spin-out moves from lab to commercial pipeline
Co-founded in 2024 by Khaled Eissa and Dr Sherif Elsharkawy, Eterna emerged from research led by Elsharkawy and PhD student Dr Sara Gamea that drew coverage from the BBC, Washington Post and Newsweek after demonstrating keratin's capacity to regrow damaged enamel. The seed round funds the shift from proof-of-concept research to real-world product development, according to Elsharkawy, the company's Chief Scientific Officer.
In vitro tests show enamel-like layer forming on tooth samples
Experiments on extracted tooth samples showed the keratin material triggering a mineralization process that forms a new enamel-like layer on the tooth surface. Treated samples recovered hardness and mechanical strength close to native, healthy enamel, and the technology also demonstrated reduced abrasion and decay treatment, according to the company.
Technology targets gap left by fluoride and resin treatments
Existing options fall short of true repair: fluoride only superficially strengthens existing enamel without rebuilding lost material, while resin fillings have a finite lifespan that often forces costly replacements. Eterna's keratin-based material is designed for integration into toothpaste, positioning it as a lower-cost, longer-lasting alternative that can be embedded into products already on shelves.
Bone regeneration named as second application for platform
Eterna is extending the same keratin platform toward bone regeneration, an area where standard care today typically relies on inserting a collagen membrane and waiting for bone to regrow without resolving underlying fragility. The company said preliminary tests suggest its keratin technology could be used to regenerate stronger, healthier bone.
Investors cite capital-efficient path to global scale
Hussein Kanji, Partner at Hoxton Ventures, said Eterna combines defensible science with a capital-efficient route to market, adding potential to extend beyond oral care into broader tissue and bone regeneration applications. Gina Kirch, Founding Partner at The Venture Collective, said the company is targeting complete tissue restoration rather than damage management, a shift from the current standard of care.
Company builds Canary Wharf lab and expands commercial partnerships
Eterna has grown into a new laboratory space in Canary Wharf and is expanding its research and commercial teams. The company is building relationships with oral-care companies, professional partners and consumer-health groups as it works toward delivering its first commercial product, while continuing to build out its intellectual property pipeline beyond bone regeneration.