Incubated July 2017; founded 2015
Stage Technology development
Investor Trendlines Incubators Israel
CEO Eyal Kochavi
Vessi Medical takes a new approach in the treatment of superficial bladder cancer. The Company uses surface cryotherapy, a treatment that utilizes extreme cold, to freeze and destroy abnormal tissue. Its minimally invasive solution for non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) provides an office-based therapeutic alternative to surgery.
Currently, surface cryotherapy is used extensively in many applications, and it has been known to be highly effective in destroying surface lesions.
The Vessi Medical system consists of a standalone console and a disposable catheter that is inserted into the bladder similar to existing intravesical (inside the bladder) techniques.
National phase and PCT
Vessi’s cryoablation therapy demonstrates successful animal trial results.
Opportunity: The market seeks an effective treatment for superficial bladder cancer that offers reduced recurrence rates, reduced side effects, improved patient outcomes, and lower health care costs.
Eliminates risk of dispersed cancer cells • Minimally invasive, in-office treatment alternative to surgery • Successful proof of concept in animals • alpha product ready
Over 15 years’ experience in bringing medical device products to the market, in particular in the cryotherapy and urology fields; prior positions include VP R&D and business development, project manager, and director R&D; MBA and MSc (cum laude), Technion-Israel Institute of Technology
45 years’ experience in pneumatics, fine mechanics, and cryogenics; proven out-of-the-box thinker
Chairman, Department of Urology, Rambam Health Care Campus, Israel; adjunct Associate Professor of Urology, Baylor College, Houston, Texas; former President, American Association for Cancer Education (AACE); member, American Urological Association (AUA) and other professional organizations
Former President and CEO, Elron; former Chairman, Given Imaging; chairman and board member of numerous medical device companies
Non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), also known as superficial bladder cancer, is found on the surface of the inside lining of the bladder, and accounts for ~75% of new patients with bladder cancer. In cases of high-risk superficial bladder cancer, treatment involves intravesical therapy in which an immunotherapy or chemotherapy drug is inserted directly into the bladder via a catheter. These therapy modalities cause severe side effects and have limited outcomes. Unfortunately, due to high recurrence rates, many patients undergo bladder removal.
Reports state that bladder cancer has the highest cost per patient of all cancers, and that 43% of all bladder removals begin with superficial cancer (European Association of Urology. 2012. Guidelines on Bladder Cancer Muscle-invasive and Metastatic).
NMIBC affects 2 million people globally with 300,000 new cases reported yearly (Turk J Urol. March 2016 ).
Vessi Medical estimates its immediate addressable market low-grade papillary tumors ~$850 million per year (of the total global market of ~>$1 billion per year).
