Start-Up Previews (04/2011)
Executive Summary
A preview of the emerging health companies profiled in the current issue of Start-Up. This month's profile group, "Advancing the Technological Frontier in AAA Repair," features profiles of Altura Medical, Aptus Endosystems, Endoluminal Sciences and SOVAmed. Plus these Start-Ups Across Health Care: ACT Biotech, Ausio Pharmaceuticals, CureFAKtor Pharmaceuticals, Harbor MedTech and Insituvue.
You may also be interested in...
Aptus Endosystems Inc.
Despite notable advances in endovascular aortic aneurysm repair systems to prevent aneurysm rupture by stent-graft implantation, between 15-20% of patients eventually require secondary intervention to address endograft failures. Aptus Endosystems hopes to dramatically reduce the incidence of secondary intervention with its EVAR system: a low-profile modular endograft which uses novel stapling fixation that the company says approaches the durability of open surgery and makes minimally invasive AAA treatment an option for more patients, even those with challenging anatomy.
Insituvue Inc.
Clinicians could soon have "x-ray" vision when inserting a needle for vascular access. Current hand-carried ultrasound units and large cart-based systems cause hand/eye coordination problems because the surgeon needs to glance at a monitor physically located away from the patient. However, the Sonic Flashlight ultrasound device from Insituvue allows the clinician to view the ultrasonic image seemingly on the patient's skin at the point of procedure. The start-up believes its point-and-shoot technology will provide a much higher accuracy rate for a first-time stick.
Endoluminal Sciences Pty Ltd.
Endoluminal Sciences has developed a polymer-based "active sealing" technology called ELS SEAL that can be applied to existing EVAR devices to enhance the long-term durability of the seal against the vessel wall, without increasing the device profile or impacting established delivery techniques. Its "bolt-on" technology aims to address the lethal failure mode of EVAR systems, endoleaks, as well as open up EVAR treatment to the 40% of patients who are not currently candidates for the procedure.