Participated · Equity · Oct 2024

Vensica Medical is a urology therapeutics company developing a proprietary needle-free delivery system for Xeomin® (botulinum toxin A) aimed at treating overactive bladder (OAB). The company’s platform is intended to provide a minimally invasive, needle-less alternative for delivering botulinum toxin A. Vensica plans to use newly raised capital to accelerate upcoming Phase 2 clinical trials across the United States and Europe. As part of a strategic partnership with Merz, Vensica has secured exclusive rights to Xeomin® in needle-less therapeutic applications in several urologic indications and will receive Merz’s clinical development support. The company was established in the incubator program of The Trendlines Group and The Israel Innovation Authority and maintains an office in Herzliya, Israel. Leadership includes CEO Avner Geva and CTO Avi Eftel. Vensica is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a proprietary ultrasound-assisted drug delivery platform for urological indications including overactive bladder, neurogenic bladder, and interstitial cystitis. The company has an exclusive arrangement with Merz Therapeutics to use Merz’s botulinum neurotoxin A (Xeomin®) for needle-free urological procedures. Vensica plans to use the new funding to conduct phase II multicenter clinical trials in Europe and the USA. It also intends to expand its workforce in Israel to support clinical and regulatory development of its device in collaboration with Merz. Vensica was founded in 2015 by Avner Geva and is based in Tel Aviv, Israel. The company is in the clinical development stage and is advancing its device and combination product toward later-stage trials. Vensica Medical is developing VensiCare, an ultrasound-based, needle-free drug-delivery system whose initial indication is delivery of botulinum toxin to treat overactive bladder (OAB). The company also holds intellectual property for delivering oncology agents to the bladder. Led by CEO Avner Geva, Vensica plans to commence human clinical trials of VensiCare for OAB in the fourth quarter of 2018. Vensica received a $2M investment from Cogentix Medical. Cogentix will take one seat on Vensica’s board and received options to acquire the entire company for an additional $8M. Cogentix is a global medical device company (NASDAQ: CGNT) focused on the Urology, Uro/Gyn and Gynecology markets.

Participated · Series B · Jun 2018

Cytrellis Biosystems is a Woburn, Mass.-based medical technology company focused on development and commercialization of aesthetic devices that emphasize safety, efficacy, and improved quality of life. Led by President and CEO Karen Cronholm, the company developed the ellacor™ System using Micro-Coring™ Technology to remove sagging skin associated with aging without surgery or scarring. Ellacor is indicated for treatment of moderate to severe wrinkles in the mid to lower face in adults aged 22 years or older with Fitzpatrick skin types I–IV. The device recently received FDA clearance, providing a pathway to an initial commercial rollout with a small group of key physicians and a planned full national rollout in 2022. Cytrellis closed a $50M Series C to build commercial infrastructure and to support additional clinical research, product development, and manufacturing. Cytrellis Biosystems is a Woburn, Mass.-based medical technology company developing a proprietary class of dermatologic aesthetic devices aimed at reducing skin laxity. Its core product line targets removal of sagging skin associated with aging without surgery or scarring. The company is led by President and CEO Karen Cronholm. Cytrellis recently completed a financing to support clinical and regulatory work. It intends to use the proceeds to conclude clinical studies and fund efforts to obtain regulatory clearances. The company’s development stage and regulatory focus suggest the capital will be deployed toward validation and market-enabling activities. Cytrellis is a clinical-stage Boston company developing an entirely new category of medical devices for the aesthetics market that remove excess skin without invasive surgery or scarring. Its key proprietary technology is intended to enable physicians to improve sagging skin on the face and other areas of the body. The company is positioning the product to address a large unmet need in aesthetic medicine and to capture a valuable market opportunity. Cytrellis has pursued a strategy of selectively engaging investors who provide specific aesthetics industry expertise. The company aims for a successful market launch of its technology once clinical development is complete. No operating metrics or financial details were disclosed in the article.