Akura Medical Closes $35M Series B Financing

Shifamed’s portfolio company, Akura Medical announced the closing of its $35M Series B financing to be used to apply for FDA 510k clearance of the Akura Mechanical Thrombectomy Platform. The funds will also scale manufacturing capabilities and support clinical trials. The Capital Partnership (TCP) and Cormorant Asset Management lead financing, and received significant participation from the AMED Ventures, PA MedTech VC Fund, Unorthodox Ventures, Lilly Asia Ventures, and Shifamed angel investors. 
 
“The Akura thrombectomy platform is designed to provide large-bore catheter performance with a user-friendly system that will change how physicians approach thrombus removal in a clinically meaningful way,” president and CEO Murali Srivathsa told the press. “We thank our investors for their strong, ongoing support as we continue to execute and deliver on our commitment to advance out differentiated solution for VTE.”
 
Akura’s Mechanical Thrombectomy Platform is designed as smaller bore, easy-to-use system. The platform has integrated aspiration and maceration technology that incorporates intersecting jets to enable efficient removal of mixed morphology clots. Pressure sensors provide real-time hemodynamic data. The steerable sheath has a low-profile to allow physicians to bring the tip of the catheter directly to the proximal end of the clot.
 
“Despite the proliferation of mechanical thrombectomy devices, significant challenges remain. The low-profile Akura platform is designed to remove soft and hard clots,” commented TCP managing director Gautam Kainth. “Additionally, the system’s continuous monitoring of hemodynamics will allow physicians to assess physiological changes when a substantial clot has been removed. We are pleased to lead this round and look forward to working with the Akura team to bring this much needed solution to market.”
 
Akura focuses on a differentiated approach to address major challenges of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and is a privately held portfolio company of Shifamed LLC.