San Diego's Acutus Medical has raised $21 million to advance its minimally invasive heart imaging technology, cash the company will pour into clinical trials for the system.
OrbiMed led the round, joined by the investors who kicked in for Actus' $7.9 million round last year. The latest haul is just the first closing in Actus' planned Series B, but the company isn't saying how much money it's seeking in sum.
Acutus is developing a catheter-based 3-D mapping system it says can detect the sources of complex cardiac arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, before they develop, potentially helping physicians treat patients before symptoms get serious. With early detection, Acutus' technology could save money for payers and providers, CEO Randy Werneth said, allowing physicians to customize therapy without the costly guesswork of traditional diagnostics.
"With CT-quality imaging and dipole density-based activation, the combined information should make for more efficient procedures by identifying precise treatment targets, monitoring therapy progress and identifying the clinical impact on the patient--all in real-time," Werneth said in a statement
Acutus has blazed a quick path since its foundation in 2011. In April, the company kicked off a first-in-man study of its imaging, notching four successful catheterization procedures. Now, with $21 million in hand, the company is plotting more studies as it amasses data to apply for a CE mark.
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