Akura Medical, a company within the Shifamed portfolio, has successfully closed a $35 million Series B financing round.
The funding will be utilized to seek FDA 510(k) clearance for the Akura Mechanical Thrombectomy Platform, support additional clinical trials for various indications, and enhance manufacturing capabilities. The funding round was led by The Capital Partnership (TCP) and Cormorant Asset Management, with significant participation from PA MedTech VC Fund, AMED Ventures, Lilly Asia Ventures, Unorthodox Ventures, and angel investors from Shifamed.
Despite the availability of various mechanical thrombectomy devices, substantial challenges persist in addressing venous thromboembolism (VTE). Akura Medical’s platform offers a differentiated approach, featuring a low-profile design capable of removing both soft and hard clots. The system’s unique continuous hemodynamic monitoring allows physicians to assess physiological changes after clot removal, enhancing the clinical understanding of the procedure.
The Akura Mechanical Thrombectomy Platform is characterized by its user-friendly, smaller bore system. Its low-profile, steerable sheath enables physicians to position the catheter tip directly to the proximal end of the clot without the need to cross it. The platform incorporates integrated aspiration and maceration technology with intersecting jets, facilitating efficient removal of mixed morphology clots. Real-time hemodynamic data provided by pressure sensors reduces uncertainty during the procedure, ensuring accurate case progress evaluation.
“The Akura thrombectomy platform is designed to combine large-bore catheter performance with an intuitive system, revolutionizing how physicians approach thrombus removal in a clinically meaningful way,” said Murali Srivathsa, President and Chief Executive Officer of Akura Medical. “We express our gratitude to our investors for their unwavering support as we continue to advance our distinctive solution for VTE, ultimately making a significant impact in this critical healthcare area.”
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) poses a severe risk when blood clots, often originating in deep leg veins, obstruct or severely restrict blood flow to the lungs, leading to life-threatening situations. In the United States alone, approximately 900,000 people are affected annually, with estimates suggesting that 60,000-100,000 Americans die from VTE each year.
