One of the benefits of surgical robotics is the potential to bring standardized precision to procedures performed almost anywhere and by almost anyone. However, most systems have focused on everything below the neck.
ForSight Robotics aims to bring the same advantages to eye surgery and has raised $10 million to embark on building a miniaturized system with the goal of bringing vision-correcting procedures to a wider population.
The seed round, backed by Eclipse Ventures and Mithril Capital, will support ForSight’s plans to integrate microsurgical robotics with computer vision and machine learning algorithms, which will study past eye procedures to help replicate the expertise held by ophthalmic surgeons facing high demand—with many countries only having a few to several dozen trained professionals per million people.
“Our goal is to democratize this highly sophisticated procedure, enabling patients around the world to easily access the treatment that can restore their vision,” said ForSight’s co-founder and CEO, Daniel Glozman, who previously held roles at Medtronic Ventor Technologies, Magenta Medical, Diagnostic Robotics and Guide-X.
The company was also co-founded by Moshe Shoham, who previously established Mazor Robotics before its acquisition by Medtronic, and Joseph Nathan, who helped lead healthcare commercialization at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology and directed new venture work at the center’s Alfred Mann Institute.
Meanwhile, the Israel-based company’s strategic advisory board includes robotics pioneer Fred Moll, M.D., co-founder of Intuitive Surgical and Auris Health, plus Mako Surgical and Magic Leap co-founder Rony Abovitz and Mithril co-founder Ajay Royan.
“As populations grow and age, robotically assisted surgery is an essential tool to simultaneously advance technique and broaden access to top-tier medical expertise,” Royan said. “ForSight’s mission will benefit hundreds of millions around the world.”
The company’s platform aims to provide surgeons with full freedom of movement while manipulating tools with precise movements amounting to a few microns combined with 3D imaging and real-time guidance.
by Conor Hale
Source: fiercebiotech.com
Novartis will acquire Mariana’s lead candidate MC-339, a radioligand therapy (RLT) designed to target small-cell lung cancer. Last year, Mariana had raised $175m in a Series B round from several funds and pharma giant Eli Lilly.
The company’s aspiration to expand the use of its obesity products to cardiovascular indications has been successful. In March, its blockbuster drug Wegovy was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases in obese or overweight adults.
Massachusetts-based Deciphera brings to the table an extensive kinase inhibitor pipeline, kinase drug discovery expertise, and a strong commercial and sales platform in the US and European markets that is meant to advance Ono’s capabilities and presence in the oncology space.
