The maker of a device that can hasten the repair of faulty heart mitral valves has raised $3.2 million in a Series A to expand from concept to clinic. Maryland-based Harpoon Medical has a surgical tool in the works that could simplify the process of cardiac mitral valve repair considerably – bringing a six-hour operation down to 60 minutes.
The image-guided, minimally invasive device essentially allows surgeons to access the mitral valve in a beating heart through a small incision in the ribs – bypassing the need for cardiac arrest or cardiopulmonary bypass, which is the standard of care. Additionally, Harpoon says the simpler procedure could reduce hospital stays from weeks to a matter of days. Harpoon describes the process in a touch more detail:
The tool enters the left ventricle transapically and inserts “bulky knot” neochords in the leaflet to eliminate mitral valve regurgitation.
When Investment Rhymes with Canada
Canada has a proud history of achievement in the areas of science and technology, and the field of biomanufacturing and life sciences is no exception.
The investigational technology was developed at the University of Maryland School of Medicine; Harpoon Medical was founded in 2013.
The round was led by Epidarex Capital, along with the Maryland Venture Fund, the Abell Foundation, and a number of private individual investors.
