US-based medical device company Okami Medical secured a $32.5m financing led by new investor Vensana Capital, a venture capital firm investing in medical technology companies.
Other participants in the financing include existing investors US Venture Partners, Okami’s board of directors, and others in the medical device industry.
Okami intends to use the funding to support the development and commercialisation of its advanced catheter-based technologies for peripheral vascular occlusion.
The medical device company has developed the LOBO (LOw-profile Braided Occluder) vascular occlusion system and the SENDERO Microcatheter.
Okami president and CEO Rhonda Robb said: “We are honoured to have the support of Vensana and our existing investors to advance these important technologies and deliver them to patients.
“We are also grateful for the support and contributions of our employees and physician partners as we work tirelessly to build the market leader in vascular occlusion.”
Okami was established in 2017 by medical device incubator Inceptus Medical, which also founded vascular companies including Inari Medical, Sequent Medical, and MicroVention.
Its LOBO system is designed to provide physicians with a single-device solution for the occlusion of peripheral arterial targets, eliminating the need for multiple embolic devices.
The system combines a patented design with unique HDBRAID technology to create a highly occlusive pore structure that reduces blood flow and enhances vessel closure.
It enables the fast and effective closure of blood vessels throughout the body, treating vessels ranging from 1.5mm to 9.0mm with just four sizes, said Okami.
The SENDERO Microcatheter is designed for the smooth delivery of interventional devices while providing optimal trackability through tortuous peripheral vessels.
The microcatheter has received the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) approval and is purpose-built and optimised for the delivery of LOBO-3 and LOBO-5.
Its design incorporates a hydrophilic coating, stainless steel braid, and radiopaque marker band to optimise trackability and enable accurate placement of interventional devices.
Also, the microcatheter comes with a lubricious PTFE inner liner to facilitate low-friction delivery of interventional devices.
Vensana Capital partners Mike Kramer and Kirk Nielsen said: “LOBO and SENDERO address many of the shortcomings of traditional coils and vascular plugs.
“Designed for predictable, rapid, and durable occlusion, the platform represents a meaningful step forward in the treatment of vascular disease.
“We are excited to work alongside the Okami team to bring these and other important technologies to patients and to partner with longtime colleagues and co-investors to build another market-leading vascular company.”
