Cardiomech AS raised $13 million in fresh capital via a convertible loan agreement that will go towards developing its transcatheter mitral valve chordal repair technology. The round was heavily oversubscribed, indicating investors' expectations that the company’s technology may be a first-line therapy for patients suffering from degenerative mitral regurgitation.
Tissium SA reported the close of a series D funding round, raising $54 million from investors both new – such as Mérieux Développement SAS – and long-term, including Cathay Capital Co. Ltd., Crédit Mutuel Innovation SAS and original investors, Sofinnova Partners SAS.
A collaboration between Aegis Ventures LLC and Northwell Holdings invested $12 million to launch New York-based Optain Inc., an artificial intelligence company created to enable early identification and disease prevention through retinal imaging. Retinal imaging is well known for identifying eye diseases including diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degermation and glaucoma, but it can also provide insight into cardiovascular and neurological conditions.
Med-tech financings have continued to decline from 2021's peak when they brought in a combined total of $27.76 billion through April. In the first four months of 2022, that dropped 61.74% to $10.62 billion and this year they have fallen 44.16% to $5.93 billion. Broken out by type of financing, med-tech follow-ons are higher than the same period last year ($2.6 billion in early 2023 vs. $1.73 billion through April of last year).
Mediwhale Inc. closed a $9 million series A round that will see the company take its artificial intelligence (AI)-powered retina scans to prevent heart and kidney diseases to the U.S. market.
Oso-AI SAS raised $10.7 million to develop its artificial intelligence (AI)-driven augmented ear for frail people and their caregivers. This series A financing round was led by its historical shareholders Innovacom SAS, Novinvest Partners SAS and Breizh-up, which is the co-investment fund of Brittany region financed by the European Regional Development Fund and managed by UI Investment SAS. Cemag Invest Partners SAS has joined these three historical investors. This operation follows a first round of financing of $4.4 million which closed in September 2020.
Quest Diagnostics Inc. evidently found what it was looking for, as it agreed to acquire Haystack Oncology Inc. in an all-cash deal valued at up to $450 million with $300 million at closing and $150 million contingent on meeting specific milestones. Haystack focuses on minimal residual disease (MRD) testing, which can detect residual or recurring cancer in its early stages and help guide therapy decisions using blood samples rather than biopsied tissue. The companies expect the transaction to close before the end of June.
The €15 million (US$16.45 million) loan Smart Reporting GmbH recently received from the European Investment Bank (EIB) will take the company a “long way” as it looks to expand the use of its artificial intelligence (AI)-based medical documentation technology which “helps clinicians improve their workflow and patients to get better care,” co-CEO Peter Vanovertveld, told BioWorld.
The amount of money raised by med-tech companies in the first quarter (Q1) of 2023 is the lowest amount raised for the industry during any quarter going back to 2018.
Nyxoah SA reported it successfully raised $3 million to ramp development of its Genio technology for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. This fundraising took the form of private placement of shares on the Nasdaq. They were acquired by Sydney-based Cochlear Ltd., an existing Nyxoah shareholder.
