Boston-based clinical-stage therapeutics company Indomo has announced a $25 million funding round led by prominent investors Atomic, Foresite Capital, and Polaris Partners. The company is developing an at-home injectable therapy for inflammatory acne lesions. Its debut product, ClearPen, pairs a microneedle self-injection device with a corticosteroid (triamcinolone acetonide) to enable patients to self-administer what has traditionally been an in-office dermatology treatment.
The therapy targets inflammatory acne, one of the more severe forms that often leads to scarring and requires specialist care. Indomo is emphasizing a device-plus-drug platform—a novel microneedle delivery mechanism combined with a known active ingredient. The company says the approach aims to expand access to care by bringing specialist-grade treatments into the home environment.
The $25 million funding round reflects investor confidence in the concept of self-administered dermatology therapies, particularly those enabled by devices. Indomo plans to use the new capital to advance Phase 2 clinical trials and further develop its delivery platform. This funding comes amid a nationwide shortage of dermatologists, with some regions averaging one dermatologist for every 28,000 people. The company believes that at-home treatment could help fill this care gap.
Acne affects roughly 50 million Americans each year, with about 20 million suffering from inflammatory acne specifically. Standard care for such lesions typically involves intralesional injections of triamcinolone acetonide, administered by dermatologists. However, many patients are unable to access these treatments in a timely manner. By allowing patients to self-administer injections, Indomo aims to reduce scarring, speed up treatment, and broaden availability.
Still, several hurdles remain. Regulatory oversight for combination products involving drugs and devices will require close FDA review to ensure safety, proper dosing, and ease of use. Patient comfort and adherence with at-home injections could also pose behavioral challenges, while costs of manufacturing and payer reimbursement strategies remain open questions. Competition from other acne treatments—topical, oral, and procedural—will require Indomo to demonstrate clear clinical and practical advantages.
The company’s platform approach suggests potential expansion into other inflammatory skin conditions beyond acne. By blending consumer-health convenience with medical-grade technology, Indomo is positioning itself at the intersection of dermatology, medtech, and home therapeutics. If successful, it could mark a meaningful shift in how prescription dermatology treatments are delivered and accessed.
