A Medical Device Daily

Ulthera (Mesa, Arizona), a therapeutic ultrasound medical device company serving the aesthetics market, reported that it has received $22.5 million in a Series B round that was led by New Enterprise Associates (NEA). Existing investor 3i also participated in the round.

Ulthera said it will use funds from the round to commercialize its technology globally, conduct additional product development and execute more clinical studies to support expanded use of its platform.

“There is a large, rapidly-growing market for cosmetic procedures, and Ulthera’s technology appears to have several distinct advantages over existing energy-based offerings, including greater predictability of results and shorter procedure times,” said Chip Linehan, NEA General Partner, who will join the Ulthera board.

“The company has developed a micro-ablation device that safely penetrates and treats multiple layers of tissue non-invasively,” said Matt Likens, president/CEO of Ulthera. “Ulthera’s technology is the first to combine high frequency ultrasound imaging and therapeutic treatment in a single device. This unique approach enables visualization of target layers of sub-epidermal tissue immediately before the therapeutic level of ultrasonic energy is delivered, allowing physicians to see where they are working below the skin. The epidermal layer of skin is completely spared, while deeper treatment immediately triggers the body’s natural healing effect, resulting in a gradual lifting and tightening of skin tissue in and around the face.”

The company received a CE mark for the Ulthera System in 2007 and is expecting FDA clearance to sell products in the U.S. soon.