Versa Vascular recently closed an oversubscribed $27.3 million funding round, investor Santa Cruz Ventures announced.
Santa Cruz, California-based Versa now emerges from stealth aiming to transform the treatment of tricuspid valve disease. The company hopes to take on a significant gap in the treatment of the heart valve disease.
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Versa’s implant features a novel design to preserve native valve leaflets, along with an atrial skirt for secure placement. The company touts easier delivery with an optimized occluder, plus reduced device size, weight and cost in the latest generation. It also features additional anchoring hooks for improved performance. The implant sits entirely in the right atrium with a low radial force, avoiding interactions with sub-valvular apparatus.
To date, the company reports seven treated patients, with no device-related adverse events. Versa also reports notable improvements in renal function and walking endurance.
As it emerges from stealth, Versa enters the hot tricuspid repair space that features Edwards’ Evoque and Abbott’s TriClip systems. Santa Cruz Ventures even says early results “position Versa’s solution as safer than Evoque and as effective as TriClip.” Other companies like CroíValve, Coramaze, Laplace and TriCares also develop noteworthy tricuspid repair systems.
The company also launches with leadership including veterans from Intuitive Surgical, Auris, Cephea and the Cardiovascular Research Foundation. It now moves forward with pre-pivotal trials and builds out its leadership team, Santa Cruz Ventures said.
