A daily newsletter summarizing recent activity & interesting startups globally
RECENT NOTABLE ACTIVITY – MEDICAL DEVICES
- FDA approves Intuity Elite rapid valve from Edwards Lifesciences which has already received CE Mark approval in April 2014. Link
- FDA approved an expanded indication for the Sapien XT and Sapien 3 replacement heart valves (from Edwards Lifesciences) for intermediate-risk patients. Link
- Bluegrass Vascular Technologies received CE Mark approval for its Surfacer vascular access device. Link
- BiO2 Medical received FDA 510(k) clearance for its Angel Catheter designed for pulmonary embolism protection. Link
- Bonesupport won an investigational device exemption for the Fortify clinical trial of its G injectable antibiotic-eluting bone substitute which has already won CE Mark approval in 2013. Link
- Johnson & Johnson subsidiary Biosense Webster won FDA premarket approval for its Thermocool SmartTouch SF catheter designed for ablation procedures. Link
- Fortimedix Surgical received FDA 510(k) clearance for its FMX314 single-port system for minimally invasive abdominal laparoscopic surgery. Link
- Siemens received FDA 510(k) clearance for its Somatom Drive computed tomography dual-source scanner. Link
- FDA has cleared two of Stryker’s clot retrieval devices as a first-line therapy for ischemic strokes to be given alongside a clot-dissolving drug. Link
- Medtronic has received FDA approval for the Enlite sensor with iPro2 Professional Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) system Link
- Allergan acquires drug-eluting ophthalmological implant maker ForSight Vision5 for $95M. Link
- Globus Medical acquired Alphatec’ international operations and distribution channels for $80M. Link
- Avelas Biosciences, a developer of imaging molecules for detection and diagnosis of cancer tumors, raised $20M in a Series C round led by Pharmstandard International. Link
- ViewRay, a developer of MRI-guided radiation therapy technology for cancer, riased $14M in private placement from OrbiMed Advisors, Xeraya Capital and Kearny Venture Partners. Link
SOME INTERESTING STARTUPS FOUND
RetiSpec (2015, Tel Aviv) – Develops non-invasive eye scanner for early detection of Alzheimer’s Disease.
Augmedics (2014, Yokneam Illit) – Develops Augmented Reality Guided Surgery System.
LEADER BOARD – MEDICAL DEVICES
THERAPEUTICS
Cardiovascular
TriVascular (1998, Santa Rosa, IPO) – Medical devices for endovascular aortic repair. Went public in 2014.
CVRx (2001, Minneapolis, $390M) – Implantable technology for hypertension and heart failure. Backed by DaVita Healthcare Partners, Piper Jaffray, Ysios Capital, JJDC, InterWest Partners, Silicon Valley Bank, SightLine Partners, NEA, Kearny Venture Partners, Frazier Healthcare Partners, ABS Ventures.
Orthopedics
ConforMIS (2004, Bedford, IPO) – Personalized, partial knee resurfacing implants to treat knee osteoarthritis. Went public in 2015.
Small Bone Innovations (2009, Morrisville, $171M) – Suite of orthopedic products for small bones and joints. Backed by Trevi Health Ventures, Goldman Sachs, Malaysian Life Sciences Capital Fund, NGN Capital, Viscogliosi Brothers, Axiom Ventures, Khazanah Nasional Berhad, 3i Group.
Surgery
Auris Surgical Robots (2009, San Carlos, $184M) – Robotic microsurgical systems for ophthalmic surgery. Backed by NaviMed Capital, Lux Capital, Mithril Capital Management and Highland Capital Partners.
Medrobotics (2011, Raynham, $140M) – Robotic surgical devices for minimally invasive surgery. Backed by Hercules Technology Growth Capital and Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse.
Ophthalmology
TearScience (2005, Morrisville, $151M) – Diagnosis and Treatment of Evaporative Dry Eye. Backed by Spray Venture Partners, Essex Woodlands Health Ventures, HealthCare Royalty Partners, Investor Growth Capital, DeNovo Ventures and Quaker BioVentures.
Avedro (2007, Waltham, $130M) – Corneal cross-linking technology. Backed by Interwest, OrbiMed Advisors, Prism Venture Management, DeNovo Ventures, Flagship Ventures, Aperture Venture Partners, SCP Vitalife Partners, Borealis Ventures, Abingworth, Third Point, and Prism Venture.
DIAGNOSTICSPlatform Technologies
Neusoft Medical System (1998, Shenyang, $410M) – Medical imaging device and software developer. Backed by China Everbright Group AG, Goldman Sachs, Hony Capital.
Butterfly Network (2011, Guilford, $100M) – Medical imaging devices using a combination of deep learning and an ultrasonic device. Backed by Aeris Capital.
Oncology
Veran Medical (2005, St.Louis, $83M) – Soft tissue navigation for diagnosis of lung cancer. Backed by Prolog Ventures, Versant Ventures, River Cities Capital Funds, Advantage Capital Partners, Rex Health Ventures, 3G Capital Partners and Vectis.
SuperDimension (1995, Minneapolis, $63M) – Electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy to diagnose and treat cancer. Backed by Orbimed, Pitango Venture Capital, Saints Capital, Oxford Bioscience Partners, Oxford Capital, Pfizer, Covidien, CIBC Equity Research, Medica Venture Partners and Tivona Capital.
Infectious Disease
Accelerate Diagnostics (2004, Tucson, IPO) – In vitro diagnostics to provide solutions for the antibiotic resistant infections. Went public in 2013.
Curetis (2007, Holzgerlingen, $85M) – Molecular diagnostics POC device for infectious diseases. Backed by Forbion, KfW Bankengruppe, HBM Partners, BioMedPartners, CD-Venture GmbH, Roche, Qiagen, Life Sciences Partners, Aeris Capital.
MONITORING Diabetes
OptiScan Biomedical (1994, Hayward, $156M) – Glucose monitoring systems for ICUs/CCUs. Backed by yet2Ventures, Mitsui, Medven, Lightstone Ventures, Oakwood Medical, Ascension Ventures, NGN Capital, Signet Healthcare Partners, Mitsui, Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Prism Venture, EGS Healthcare Capital Partners, Morgenthaler.
Senseonics (1996, Germantown, $124M) – Implantable system for continuous glucose monitoring. Backed by NEA, HealthCare Ventures, Rho Capital Partners, Anthem Capital Management, Delphi Ventures and Greenspring Associates.
Cardiovascular
CardioMEMS (2001, Atlanta, $153M, Acq.) – Wireless sensor-based implants for cardiac monitoring. Acquired by St. Jude Medical in 2014.
iRhythm Technologies (2006, SF, $95M) – Cardiac rhythm monitoring devices. Backed by Mohr Davidow Ventures, Synergy Life Science Partner, Novo A/S, Norwest Venture Partners, California HealthCare Foundation, Stanford University, Kaiser Permanente Ventures, New Leaf Venture Partners and New Leaf Ventures.
Vital Signs
EarlySense (2004, Ramat Gan, $85M) – Contact free patient monitoring solution. Backed by Noaber, Bridge Investment Fund, Samsung Venture Investment Corporation, Docor, ProSeed, Pitango VC, Israel, Mitsui & Co, JK&B Capital, Bank Hapoalim, Welch Allyn, Challenge.
Sotera Wireless (2004, San Diego, $68M) – In hospital patient monitoring device. Backed by Sanderling Ventures, Qualcomm Ventures, Intel Capital, EDB Investments, Safeguard, Delphi Ventures, Cerner Capital, West Health and Sanderling.
CLINICAL EQUIPMENT
TransMedics (1998, Andover, $264M) – Organ transplantation technology. Backed by Tudor Funds, Abrams Capital, Flagship Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Foundation Capital, Sagamore, Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Alta Partners, Sherbrooke Capital, VantagePoint Capital Partners and i Group plc.
Caesarea Medical Electronics (1993, Caesarea, $100M) – Infusion and syringe pump systems and accessories. Backed by CareFusion.
SUPPORT SYSTEMS
Ekso Bionics (2005, Richmond, IPO) – Bionic exoskeleton for people with paralysis. Went public in 2014.
BionX Medical (2007, Bedford, $75M) – Prosthetic device to aid movement of lower-limb amputees. Backed by Sigma Partners, General Catalyst, WFD Ventures and Gilde Healthcare.
Leaderboard includes all the top funded, IPO and successfully running bootstrapped companies along with their location, founding year and funding amount.
For latest updates, visit the Medical Devices feed.