11.19.14
Kirkland, Wash.-based Aortica Corporation, an early stage medical device company focused on treatments for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), has finished its Series A financing with a total of $7 million invested. The company plans to use the funds to complete its investigational device exemption (IDE) pivotal study.
In conjunction with the completion of the financing, Aortica has also appointed of Tom Douthitt as president and CEO. Douthitt is a medical device industry veteran with 28 years of experience. In addition, co-founder Ben Starnes, M.D., F.A.C.S., joined the company’s board of directors. DStarnes is the chief of vascular and endovascular surgery at the University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center and will also serve as the company’s chief medical officer.
Aortica has developed an approach designed for treatment of patients with AAA disease who experience anatomical abnormalities, which limit their treatment options to major open surgery.
“Approximately 30-40 percent of patients diagnosed annually in the United States with moderate to severe AAA disease are ineligible for less invasive endovascular therapy due to anatomical limitations,” said Starnes. “Aortica has developed an approach designed to allow standard endografts to be customized to fit each patient’s unique anatomy. Consequently, patients who previously were faced with a highly invasive surgical course now will have the option of far less invasive endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR).”
“EVAR is now the gold standard for AAA repair in the United States, and is associated with lower mortality rates, shorter hospital stays, and faster return to activities of normal daily living when compared to open surgery,” added Douthitt. “The oversubscription of our series A financing is a clear reflection of the enthusiasm around the potential of the technology developed by Dr. Starnes. I am very pleased to be part of the effort to advance this important technology and bring higher quality treatment options to a significant portion of the AAA population requiring treatment.”
Aortica Corporation was founded to make tools for treatment of patients with AAA disease who have aortic anatomy that limits their treatment options.
In conjunction with the completion of the financing, Aortica has also appointed of Tom Douthitt as president and CEO. Douthitt is a medical device industry veteran with 28 years of experience. In addition, co-founder Ben Starnes, M.D., F.A.C.S., joined the company’s board of directors. DStarnes is the chief of vascular and endovascular surgery at the University of Washington and Harborview Medical Center and will also serve as the company’s chief medical officer.
Aortica has developed an approach designed for treatment of patients with AAA disease who experience anatomical abnormalities, which limit their treatment options to major open surgery.
“Approximately 30-40 percent of patients diagnosed annually in the United States with moderate to severe AAA disease are ineligible for less invasive endovascular therapy due to anatomical limitations,” said Starnes. “Aortica has developed an approach designed to allow standard endografts to be customized to fit each patient’s unique anatomy. Consequently, patients who previously were faced with a highly invasive surgical course now will have the option of far less invasive endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR).”
“EVAR is now the gold standard for AAA repair in the United States, and is associated with lower mortality rates, shorter hospital stays, and faster return to activities of normal daily living when compared to open surgery,” added Douthitt. “The oversubscription of our series A financing is a clear reflection of the enthusiasm around the potential of the technology developed by Dr. Starnes. I am very pleased to be part of the effort to advance this important technology and bring higher quality treatment options to a significant portion of the AAA population requiring treatment.”
Aortica Corporation was founded to make tools for treatment of patients with AAA disease who have aortic anatomy that limits their treatment options.