On June 1, 2021, ToeFX Inc., a Hamilton-based healthtech startup and The Forge alumnus, announced that it has been approved to receive funding to increase its innovation capacity and support taking its ideas to market from The National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP). The program provides advice, connections, and funding to help Canadian small and medium-sized businesses grow, increase their innovation capacity, and take ideas to market. In collaboration with McMaster University, ToeFX provides a safe, effective solution based on photodynamic therapy to treat onychomycosis (toenail fungus).
ToeFX was founded by Dr. Irit Van-Ham, a toxicologist and formulation chemist. Dr. Van-Ham grew interested in treating toenail fungus after her mother developed the condition as a side-effect of receiving chemotherapy for breast cancer. It was at that point that Dr. Van-Ham saw the need for better treatment options and started developing a solution.
In 2019, Dr. Van-Ham partnered with Dr. Monika Yazdanian, a fellow scientist and specialist in tech startups who shared her deep commitment to researching, testing, and manufacturing their products in Canada. ToeFX has also received valuable support from The Forge Business Incubator at McMaster University, Waterloo Accelerator Centre, the Innovation Factory, and the startup ecosystem in Ontario.
“ToeFX is grateful for the support of NRC-IRAP on this project, which will help ToeFX grow its operations over the next year. It’s exciting to be working with one of Canada’s premier innovation agencies and we hope to see our made-in-Canada technology exported all over the world,” said Dr. Yazdanian.
View ToeFX’s video on their ClearToe Therapy Light:
Learn more about ToeFX Inc. and its product line.