Shifamed’s Laza Medical closes $36M Series A to support cardiac imaging tech

Laza Medical, the latest Shifamed portfolio company, announced today that it closed a Series A financing worth $36 million.

The latest positive news for a Shifamed company follows multiple milestones over the course of 2023. In June, Shifamed’s Adona Medical unveiled a next-generation heart failure management portfolio. In October, its Akura Medical unit raised $35 million for a thrombectomy system.

Laza Medical develops an imaging solution for cardiac interventions, enabled by AI and state-of-the-art robotics. The Capital Partnership (TCP) led the funding round. GE HealthCare, PA MedTech VC fund, Unorthodox Ventures and Dara holdings all participated.

Los Gatos, California-based Laza plans to use the funds to accelerate product development and further expand its team.

“The closing of this significant financing round validates the large, unmet need Laza’s solution will address, and we are grateful for the strong support of our in…

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Shifamed’s Akura Medical raises $35M for thrombectomy system

Akura Medical, a Shifamed portfolio company, today announced the closing of a $35 million Series B financing round.

Los Gatos, California-based Akura develops a differentiated approach to address the challenges of venous thromboembolism (VTE). The company earmarked the funds for supporting its FDA 510(k) clearance submission for the Akura mechanical thrombectomy platform. Other uses include supporting clinical trials for additional indications and scaling manufacturing capabilities.

The Capital Partnership (TCP) and Cormorant Asset Management led the financing round. The PA MedTech VC Fund, AMED Ventures, Lilly Asia Ventures, Unorthodox Ventures and Shifamed angel investors also participated.

Akura developed its thrombectomy platform as an easy-to-use, smaller bore system. The low-profile, steerable sheath allows physicians to bring the tip of the catheter directly to the proximal end of the clot without needing to cross the clot.

The platform fea…

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Shunt device startup wants to break barriers in nitinol and heart sensing

Adona Medical is designing its adjustable heart shunt device with pressure sensors on both sides of the heart. [Illustration courtesy of Adona Medical]

Medical devices have yet to tap nitinol’s shape memory properties, but that’s just one breakthrough Adona Medical hopes to achieve with its adjustable, bi-atrial-sensing heart shunt.

Adona Medical co-founder and CEO Brian Fahey’s presentation on his shunt device startup’s aspirations elicited palpable interest from the cardiologists in the room at CSI Frankfurt.

“You plan to disrupt two fields in heart failure?” asked Dr. Daniel Burkhoff, the director of heart failure, hemodynamics and MCS research at the Cardiovascular Research Foundation’s Clinical Trials Center.

“We’re going to try,” Fahey replied. “Our plan is to improve patient care.”

Fahey has publicly said little abo…

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Shifamed’s Adona Medical unveils next-gen heart failure management platform

Shifamed portfolio company Adona Medical today announced the introduction of its next-generation heart failure platform.

Brian Fahey, Adona Medical co-founder and CEO, unveiled the platform at the CSI Frankfurt 2023 conference. There, Fahey introduced the developing interatrial shunt technology in a presentation.

The Adona heart failure management platform features an adjustable interatrial shunt with integrated bi-atrial pressure monitoring. Its shunt flow channel offers an adaptable geometry capable of growing larger or minimizing at any time post-implant. This can help optimize shunting flow or dose for patient needs at the time of the initial procedure. It then can adjust as the patient’s condition evolves over time.

Integrated sensors included in the platform capture pressure readings from both the left and right atria multiple times per day. These sensors don’t require patient interaction, Adona says. Daily readings from the sensors hel…

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Adona Medical raises $20.5M

Shifamed portfolio company Adona Medical filed an SEC Form D to confirm the sale of nearly $20.5 million in equity.

Campbell, Calif.-based Adona Medical is offering more than $24.8 million in equity in a new notice that had its first sale on Aug. 20, 2020. Adona Medical does not intend for the offering to last longer than one year, according to the filing.

The minimum investment accepted in the equity offering was $1, and so far 45 investors have contributed to the $20.5 million total, with nearly $4.4 million remaining for the company to sell.

No use of proceeds was listed for the offering, while the company confirmed that it is not being made in connection with a business combination transaction, such as a merger, acquisition or exchange offer.

Adona Medical was formed less than one year ago in December 2019 and develops interventional approaches for treating heart failure, according to the company.

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Atia Vision closes $20m Series D

Shifamed spinout and intraocular lens maker Atia Vision announced today that it closed the second tranche of a $20 million Series D financing.

Campbell, Calif.-based Atia Vision said in a news release that the funding round that was led by Cormorant Asset Management with participation from The Capital Partnership, AMED Ventures and Shangbay Capital.

The company said the financing is earmarked for its continued early clinical experience treating cataract patients, as well as the expansion of its facility. Atia Vision develops its intraocular lens to treat far-sightedness.

Atia Vision announced in May of last year that it had completed the first tranche of the $20 million Series D with investments from the same participants and the same intended use of proceeds.

“We are pleased to have early clinical evidence demonstrating accommodation, the ability of the eye to change its focus between distant and near objects,” Atia Vision president &…

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