Tennessee startup Ariste Medical recently received $4.6 million in a Series A to develop a hernia mesh that slowly diffuses drugs into the system, so as to prevent infections in the abdomen. There’s a high rate of infection following hernia surgery;
The company’s overall aim is to upgrade “legacy” devices – standard implants like mesh and the like – by allowing them to elute drugs to help hasten recovery. The funding will help push Ariste’s work through the regulatory process, as well as prep for commercialization in the U.S. and Europe.
In its pipeline, Ariste has a drug eluting mesh for hernia repair, a drug eluting tunneled dialysis catheter for hemodialysis, and a drug eluting vascular graft for peripheral bypass. The Ariste devices are designed to prevent typical failures that come from infection, thrombosis and restenosis.
Inside an Automated Healthcare Practice: Redesigning Care Around People, Not Paperwork
By reducing administrative burden and redesigning workflows around human needs, it creates space for what matters most: connection between clinicians and patients.
A material called ePFTE, known better as GoreTex, has been used in medical devices since the 1970s, Ariste says. While effective as a surgical implant, it can be a breeding ground for infection – MRSA infections often are associated with hernia repair. The device company’s building a platform that can help dispense drugs from ePFTE and other materials, such as polypropylene and polyurethane.
Ariste received a $1.3 million seed round in 2012; it was launched in 2007.