LOS GATOS, Calif., October 3, 2023 – Akura Medical, a Shifamed portfolio company focused on a differentiated approach to effectively address the major challenges of venous thromboembolism (VTE), announced today the closing of its $35M Series B financing. The funds will be used to apply for FDA 510(k) clearance for the Akura Mechanical Thrombectomy Platform, support clinical trials for additional indications, and scale manufacturing capabilities. The financing was led by The Capital Partnership (TCP) and Cormorant Asset Management, with significant participation from the PA MedTech VC Fund, AMED Ventures, Lilly Asia Ventures, Unorthodox Ventures and Shifamed angel investors.
he Akura Mechanical Thrombectomy Platform is designed to be an easy-to-use, smaller bore system. The low-profile, steerable sheath allows physicians to bring the tip of the catheter directly to the proximal end of the clot without having to cross the clot. The platform’s integrated aspiration and maceration technology, incorporating intersecting jets, aims to enable efficient removal of mixed morphology clots. Additionally, pressure sensors provide real-time hemodynamic data, reducing the guesswork around case progress.
VTE occurs when a blood clot, often formed in a deep vein in the leg, severely restricts or blocks blood flow to the lungs, which can be life-threatening. As many as 900,000 people are affected annually in the US. Estimates suggest that 60,000-100,000 Americans die of VTE per year.1