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Mendaera is growing a handheld, robotic surgical system. Credit score: Adobe Inventory
Mendaera Inc. yesterday introduced that it has closed a $73 million Sequence B funding spherical. The corporate mentioned the financing will additional its efforts to scale robotics and synthetic intelligence “throughout mainstream medical procedures” with its handheld robotic interventional platform.
Rising prices and supplier shortages are making it tough for the healthcare business to take care of the standard of care, famous the San Mateo, Calif.-based firm. It cited frequent however crucial procedures reminiscent of biopsies, organ and vascular entry, and ache administration interventions. It described these because the “messy center” the place demand is excessive however expertise are laborious to amass, leading to excessive prices and bottlenecks in care.
Whereas different industries have addressed comparable expertise shortages by deploying automation to enhance high quality and productiveness, robots in healthcare have largely been restricted to high-end, singularly targeted surgical procedures, mentioned Mendaera. The corporate mentioned it’s taking a distinct strategy by creating applied sciences which are available for these foundational on a regular basis procedures.
“Conventional surgical robots have established footing within the working room,” acknowledged Josh DeFonzo, founder and CEO. “However robotics and AI have developed to some extent the place we will ship broader advantages throughout all components of the healthcare system and allow larger requirements of look after extra sufferers.”
By higher distributing look after such procedures, Mendaera mentioned it goals to enhance a whole bunch of thousands and thousands of affected person encounters per 12 months and drive system-wide efficiencies.
Mendaera provides capabilities by acquisitions
Mendaera mentioned its system contains robotics, AI, real-time imaging, and digital connectivity. It’s designed to be accessible throughout specialties and websites of service to assist healthcare suppliers meet the rising demand for needle-based interventions.
The corporate mentioned it’s going to use its newest funding to finish the event of its robotic expertise, speed up work on its AI and connectivity, and start the scientific introduction of its platform. Though it’s not but clear what capabilities the hand held interventional platform may have, Mendaera’s current acquisitions present some clues.
Earlier this 12 months, Mendaera introduced that it had acquired the telepresence expertise of Avail Medsystems so as to add digital connectivity to its portfolio. In 2023, the corporate signed a business settlement with the point-of-care ultrasound firm Butterfly Community.
Funding to assist tackle healthcare labor shortages
Threshold Ventures led the funding spherical. Lux Capital, PFM Well being Sciences, and Fred Moll, the founding father of Intuitive Surgical and Auris Well being, additionally participated within the spherical.
“Mendaera has the distinctive capacity to enhance the affected person expertise and make high-quality care extensively accessible,” mentioned Emily Melton, founder and managing associate at Threshold Ventures.
“Amidst rising healthcare prices and labor shortages impacting high quality and affordability, it’s crucial to harness superior expertise to revolutionize healthcare supply,” she mentioned. “We’re thrilled to hitch forces with the dynamic Mendaera group, comprising probably the most revolutionary and achieved leaders in medical robotics and software program.”
“We imagine that our expertise will permit healthcare methods and suppliers to provision medical procedures at scale – enhancing affected person expertise, growing entry to high-quality care, decreasing total price, and bettering healthcare supplier satisfaction,” DeFonzo mentioned.
