Crux of Medtech

Crux of Medtech

Welcome to The Crux of Medtech, where we sit down with special guests from the medtech industry. We tell the stories of this incredible sector by looking inside businesses from across the trade. Our guests are leaders from companies at all levels, from pre-seed startups and scale-ups to global-scale players. We’re uncovering experiences from the whole medtech ecosystem.

  1. The Doctor Who Put a Heart Attack Detector in Your Pocket with Dr. Dave Albert

    4d ago

    The Doctor Who Put a Heart Attack Detector in Your Pocket with Dr. Dave Albert

    In this episode, host Jordan Beurgin sits down with Dr. Dave Albert, physician, serial inventor and founder of AliveCor, the man who put a clinical-grade ECG in your pocket. From a viral 2011 iPhone demo to a pocket-sized 12-lead ECG that can diagnose a heart attack anywhere, Dave shares four decades of skating to where the puck was going. Key Topics Dave’s path from clinical medicine to serial medtech entrepreneur The viral 2011 iPhone-ECG video that helped define “digital health” Building and exiting Corazonix, Data Critical and Lifetone Inside AliveCor’s Kardia 12L: a pocket-sized, AI-powered 12-lead ECG Where AI will reshape cardiovascular risk prediction Related Insights Why “digital health” will simply become “health” “Augmented intelligence”: using AI to find who’s really at risk The case for orthogonal innovation, looking where no one else is Distilling the wearable “data tsunami” into clinical signal Core Challenges Today’s risk tools, lipids, calcium scores, family history, still can’t reliably predict who will have a heart attack. Clinicians need AI to surface who is truly at risk, and when, so treatment can begin decades earlier. Wearables generate an overwhelming volume of data that floods the medical record. That data must be distilled into actionable clinical insight before digital health can genuinely become health. Tune in now to hear how Dr. Dave Albert spent 40 years putting life-saving cardiac diagnostics into the palm of your hand and where he thinks AI takes cardiology next. The Crux of MedTech podcast is brought to you by Cruxx, a specialist surgical robotics recruitment agency. To learn more about Cruxx,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠click here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ A big thank you to our sponsors on this season of the podcast; ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP plc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ With a 35-year track record, TTP excels in turning innovative ideas into market-ready solutions. Their team of 300+ experts deliver breakthrough solutions in areas ranging from endoluminal robotics and navigation systems to ultrasound imaging. Whether you're a startup or a multinational, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP plc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ can accelerate your development with the latest technologies. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    50 min
  2. Putting an Expert Respiratory Therapist in Every Home with Anat Shani

    Jun 23

    Putting an Expert Respiratory Therapist in Every Home with Anat Shani

    In this episode, host Henry Norton sits down with Anat Shani, CEO of Synchrony Medical, to talk about LibAirty™, the first FDA-cleared at-home airway clearance system and what it took to carry it from a COVID-era prototype to a US commercial launch. Key Topics The cystic fibrosis patient whose LibAirty device sustained her through a six-month, overseas transplant wait What airway clearance is, and why people with chronic lung disease need it every single day How LibAirty mimics a respiratory therapist using a guided-breathing vest synchronised with a coaching app Building inside the MEDX Xelerator venture studio and the Israeli Innovation Authority ecosystem Going from FDA 510(k) clearance to early US commercialisation Related Insights Why COVID accelerated the shift from hospital-based care into the home setting How tight feedback loops between engineers, clinicians and patients shaped the device Leading and reinventing yourself as a first-time founder through doubt and through conflict Why adherence, not just efficacy, is the real battleground in chronic respiratory care Core Challenges Chronic lung conditions like COPD, bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis trap thick secretions in damaged airways, driving a vicious cycle of flare-ups, infections and decline. Daily airway clearance is the key to breaking that cycle, but there aren’t enough respiratory therapists to deliver it, and existing home methods are hard for patients to perform correctly on their own. LibAirty delivers therapist-level airway clearance at home by synchronising guided breathing with targeted chest compressions, clearing twice as much sputum as traditional vest-based therapy in clinical studies, while improving comfort and the long-term adherence patients need. 🎧 Tune in now to hear how Synchrony Medical is turning expert-level respiratory therapy into a daily routine patients can do at home. The Crux of MedTech podcast is brought to you by Cruxx, a specialist surgical robotics recruitment agency. To learn more about Cruxx,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠click here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ A big thank you to our sponsors on this season of the podcast; ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP plc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ With a 35-year track record, TTP excels in turning innovative ideas into market-ready solutions. Their team of 300+ experts deliver breakthrough solutions in areas ranging from endoluminal robotics and navigation systems to ultrasound imaging. Whether you're a startup or a multinational, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP plc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ can accelerate your development with the latest technologies. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    44 min
  3. The Himalaya of Medtech: Building a Next-Gen Heart Pump From Scratch with Louis de Lillers

    Jun 12

    The Himalaya of Medtech: Building a Next-Gen Heart Pump From Scratch with Louis de Lillers

    In this episode of the Crux of Cardio, your host Jordan Burgin sits down with Louis de Lillers, CEO of CorWave, the French company developing a next-generation LVAD powered by the wave membrane technology inspired by the motion of marine animals. Louis shares why current LVADs leave patients alive but without a pulse, and how CorWave's approach could restore physiological blood flow, reduce devastating adverse events, and even open the door to cardiac recovery. "He also gets candid about what it really takes to build a medtech company from five employees to first-in-human in an industry where billion-dollar leaders thrive, the fundraising journey that included the European Commission's first direct equity investment since 1957, and why the best advice he can give founders is: if you can avoid raising money, don't raise money. Key Topics: Why current LVAD patients live without a pulse and the clinical consequences CorWave's wave membrane technology and how it restores pulsatile flow The 13-year journey from R&D startup to first-in-human implantation Fundraising strategy: from Sofinnova Partners to the EIC Fund Building and retaining a world-class team in a startup environment Related Insights: The case for physiological flow over continuous flow in mechanical circulatory support Why clinical trial centres can double as early commercial launchpads The European medtech talent gap and why experienced operators are in short supply Core Challenges: Current continuous-flow LVADs disrupt the cardiovascular system, leading to stroke, gastrointestinal bleeding, aortic insufficiency, and severely limited patient quality of life. CorWave's wave membrane LVAD is designed to restore physiological pulsatility, modulate flow for patient activity, and potentially enable cardiac recovery, all while navigating a market with 10+ year barriers to entry and a single dominant player. Tune in now to hear how CorWave is challenging the status quo in mechanical circulatory support and what it takes to build a paradigm-shifting medtech company from the ground up. The Crux of MedTech podcast is brought to you by Cruxx, a specialist surgical robotics recruitment agency. To learn more about Cruxx,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠click here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ A big thank you to our sponsors on this season of the podcast; ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP plc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ With a 35-year track record, TTP excels in turning innovative ideas into market-ready solutions. Their team of 300+ experts deliver breakthrough solutions in areas ranging from endoluminal robotics and navigation systems to ultrasound imaging. Whether you're a startup or a multinational, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP plc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ can accelerate your development with the latest technologies. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    40 min
  4. Changing The Law To Fund Medtech with Thom Rasche

    Jun 9

    Changing The Law To Fund Medtech with Thom Rasche

    In this episode of The Crux of MedTech, Henry Norton sits down with Thom Rasche, Managing Partner and founding force behind Earlybird Health, the venture fund that literally changed German law to get public health insurers investing in early-stage medtech. Thom shares the unvarnished reality of European health VC: where the arbitrage lies, why the CE mark has lost its edge, and what separates the 5% of startups using AI meaningfully from the 95% just putting it in the business plan. From building a fund around patient outcomes to coaching founders through the painful moment their company outgrows them, this conversation is a masterclass in what it takes to back revolutionary healthcare technology in Europe and get it to the US market. Key Topics: The real cost advantage of developing medtech in Europe vs. the US Why the CE mark has fallen behind the FDA as a regulatory pathway How Earlybird got public health insurers into venture (and changed the law to do it) What separates a better mousetrap from a game-changing technology The three phases a startup CEO must navigate, and why most can’t cover all three Related Insights: Why outcomes-based pricing could reshape pharmaceutical reimbursement How AI is accelerating platform validation and clinical trial recruitment The role of collaboration over competition in European VC Core Challenges: European medtech startups face smaller funding rounds and a fragmented market, meaning the best companies must eventually flip to the US to access the world’s largest healthcare market and viable exit routes. Assessing founding teams remains the hardest part of due diligence. The biggest reason companies fail is not the technology, it’s that the people cannot execute through the shifting demands of growth, clinical validation, and commercialisation. Tune in now to hear how one of Europe’s most experienced health VCs backs revolutionary technology, navigates the transatlantic funding gap, and coaches founders through the moments that make or break their companies. The Crux of MedTech podcast is brought to you by Cruxx, a specialist surgical robotics recruitment agency. To learn more about Cruxx,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠click here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ A big thank you to our sponsors on this season of the podcast; ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP plc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ With a 35-year track record, TTP excels in turning innovative ideas into market-ready solutions. Their team of 300+ experts deliver breakthrough solutions in areas ranging from endoluminal robotics and navigation systems to ultrasound imaging. Whether you're a startup or a multinational, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP plc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ can accelerate your development with the latest technologies. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    49 min
  5. Five Billion-Dollar Deals in 45 Days: Inside the Cardiac Monitoring Gold Rush with Ken Nelson

    Jun 5

    Five Billion-Dollar Deals in 45 Days: Inside the Cardiac Monitoring Gold Rush with Ken Nelson

    In this episode of The Crux of Cardio, Jordan Burgin sits down with Ken Nelson, one of the most experienced commercial leaders in cardiac digital health.Ken helped scale commercial teams at iRhythm, BioTelemetry/CardioNet, and Bardy Diagnostics, three of the defining names in ambulatory cardiac monitoring. He shares the inside story behind the 2020–2021 cardiac monitoring M&A wave, including Philips’ acquisition of BioTelemetry, Hillrom’s acquisition of BardyDx, and Boston Scientific’s acquisition of Preventice.The conversation also covers the Medicare reimbursement shock that nearly derailed the Bardy transaction, the court decision that forced Hillrom to complete the deal, and the personal loss that now shapes Ken’s work as an investor, board member, and mentor across cardiac and EP startups. Key Topics: The 45-day acquisition wave: Philips/BioTelemetry, Boston Scientific/Preventice, and Hillrom/Bardy How a Medicare reimbursement error nearly killed the Bardy acquisition Ken's people-first commercialisation playbook for medtech startups The personal tragedy that made fighting heart disease his life's mission Ken's current thesis at Nelson Jennings Ventures and his portfolio companies Related Insights: Why angel investors and family offices matter more than ever for early-stage cardiac startups HeartBeam's credit-card-sized 12-lead ECG and the future of at-home heart attack detection How Echo IQ is applying AI to echocardiography to detect aortic stenosis and heart failure Why wearable therapeutics like StimCardio will disrupt the standard of care in cardiac arrhythmia Core Challenges: Remote patient monitoring reimbursement codes haven't kept pace with multi-sensor, multi-condition wearable devices, creating a bottleneck for commercialisation Cardiac startups need tighter collaboration between the FDA, CMS, payers, and industry accelerators to drive faster adoption of emerging technologies Series A funding goalposts have shifted: earlier clinical data is now expected, making angel investors and family offices critical for bridging the gap 🎧 Tune in now to hear how Ken Nelson went from a finance cubicle to building the commercial engine behind cardiac monitoring's biggest exits, and what he's betting on next. The Crux of MedTech podcast is brought to you by Cruxx, a specialist surgical robotics recruitment agency. To learn more about Cruxx,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠click here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ A big thank you to our sponsors on this season of the podcast; ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP plc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ With a 35-year track record, TTP excels in turning innovative ideas into market-ready solutions. Their team of 300+ experts deliver breakthrough solutions in areas ranging from endoluminal robotics and navigation systems to ultrasound imaging. Whether you're a startup or a multinational, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP plc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ can accelerate your development with the latest technologies. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    52 min
  6. Patients Fought to Use This Blood-Drawing Robot with Toon Overbeeke

    Jun 2

    Patients Fought to Use This Blood-Drawing Robot with Toon Overbeeke

    In this episode of The Crux of MedTech, Henry Norton sits down with Toon Overbeeke, CEO and Co-founder of Vitestro, the company behind the world's first CE-marked autonomous robotic phlebotomy device, Aletta. Fresh off a $70M oversubscribed Series B backed by Labcorp, Mayo Clinic, Sutter Health and Sonder Capital, with Intuitive Surgical founder Fred Moll on the board, Toon shares how a friend's father struggling through chemotherapy blood draws sparked the idea to automate the most commonly performed invasive procedure on the planet. Toon breaks down how Vitestro approached the problem from a business case first, not an engineering push, and why that distinction has kept their thesis intact for nine years. He shares surprising patient adoption data, including the counterintuitive finding that elderly patients are more willing to use the system than younger ones, and the moment a waiting room fight broke out because patients wanted to skip the line to use their robot. He also opens up about the personal evolution required to scale from a two-person team to over 100 FTEs, the trade-offs of managing long-standing team members through company growth, and how having Fred Moll and strategic investors on the cap table has accelerated their journey toward European commercial launch. Key Topics: The origin of Vitestro and why business case came before engineering Autonomous robotic blood drawing and the Aletta device Patient adoption data and the counterintuitive age findings Scaling from prototype to product and the factor-10 rule Building a strategic investor base and cap table strategy Preparing for European commercial launch Related Insights: Why standardising the pre-analytical phase matters for diagnostic accuracy How a one-to-many supervision model makes autonomous devices commercially viable The role of strategic investors like Labcorp and Mayo Clinic in de-risking commercialisation Core Challenges: Blood drawing remains the only part of the diagnostic chain that hasn't been automated, creating a bottleneck driven by staffing shortages, high turnover, and inconsistent quality that leads to hemolysis and rejected samples. Scaling from a working prototype to a reliable, serviceable, manufacturable medical device requires orders of magnitude more engineering and operations effort than most founders anticipate, encompassing everything from cyber security compliance and regulatory approvals to remote access infrastructure and field serviceability. Tune in now to hear how Vitestro is automating the world's most common invasive procedure and what it takes to build a medtech company from first principle to commercial launch. The Crux of MedTech podcast is brought to you by Cruxx, a specialist surgical robotics recruitment agency. To learn more about Cruxx,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠click here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ A big thank you to our sponsors on this season of the podcast; ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP plc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ With a 35-year track record, TTP excels in turning innovative ideas into market-ready solutions. Their team of 300+ experts deliver breakthrough solutions in areas ranging from endoluminal robotics and navigation systems to ultrasound imaging. Whether you're a startup or a multinational, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP plc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ can accelerate your development with the latest technologies. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    38 min
  7. Half a Million Patients a Year and No Good Options. Until Now with Dr. Lucy O'Keeffe

    May 29

    Half a Million Patients a Year and No Good Options. Until Now with Dr. Lucy O'Keeffe

    In this episode, your host Jordan Burgin sits down with Dr. Lucy O'Keeffe, CEO and Co-Founder of CroíValve, for the first ever in-person recording of the Crux of Cardio. Lucy explains why the tricuspid valve was once considered the "forgotten valve", how her Dublin-based team is building a device that sits between repair and replacement, and what it really takes to raise €60 million and navigate clinical validation as a first-time founder in structural heart. Key Topics: Why the tricuspid valve was overlooked for decades and what changed CroíValve's "adaptive co-optation" approach and how it differs from clip and replacement technologies Clinical validation: early European data, device updates, and the path to FDA and CE mark Fundraising as a first-time founder in Ireland's medtech ecosystem Building a team culture that retains talent and creates future founders Related Insights: Why Ireland has become a launchpad for medtech startups The role of Enterprise Ireland and angel syndicates in early-stage medtech funding Why a dual US/Europe regulatory strategy still matters in the MDR era Core Challenges: Tricuspid regurgitation affects 3.6% of the over-65 population, yet current commercial devices leave many patients anatomically unsuitable for treatment and deliver variable outcomes. CroíValve's DUO system is designed to treat the broadest range of patients while preserving right heart function, but the capital-intensive journey of clinical validation competes with venture timelines and a funding landscape increasingly tilted toward AI. Tune in now to hear how a Trinity College spin-out is rewriting the playbook for tricuspid valve treatment. The Crux of MedTech podcast is brought to you by Cruxx, a specialist surgical robotics recruitment agency. To learn more about Cruxx,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠click here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ A big thank you to our sponsors on this season of the podcast; ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP plc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ With a 35-year track record, TTP excels in turning innovative ideas into market-ready solutions. Their team of 300+ experts deliver breakthrough solutions in areas ranging from endoluminal robotics and navigation systems to ultrasound imaging. Whether you're a startup or a multinational, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP plc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ can accelerate your development with the latest technologies. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    43 min
  8. 25 Years of Unfinished Business in Emphysema. Apreo Health Is Going Back In with Karun Naga

    May 19

    25 Years of Unfinished Business in Emphysema. Apreo Health Is Going Back In with Karun Naga

    In this episode, Henry Norton sits down with Karun Naga, CEO of Apreo Health, to talk about one of the most underserved patient populations in respiratory medicine and why everything the industry tried before was heading in the wrong direction. Karun takes us inside the 25-year journey from the original Emphasys Medical valve device through to Apreo's BREATHE Airway Scaffold, a fundamentally different, non-destructive approach to treating severe emphysema. He explains how a June 2021 cadaver lab session in Minnesota confirmed the science, how the team raised $130 million despite most investors wanting to wait, and why a mechanical engineer turned patent lawyer ended up leading a clinical-stage medtech company. Key Topics Why the original emphysema valve approach was answering the wrong question How Apreo's BREATHE Airway Scaffold works differently to every predecessor The Foundry's venture studio model and what "maniacal focus" actually looks like IP strategy for medtech founders: filing early, going broad, and securing global options Raising $130M when most investors wanted to wait for the data Related Insights The career path from mechanical engineering to patent law to medtech CEO Why "publish or perish" and intellectual property protection go hand in hand How The Foundry turns clinical curiosity into venture-backed companies What Inari and Penumbra prove about building an entire market through focused execution Core Challenges Severe emphysema leaves patients with as little as 60-70% of their functional lung tissue, and the diseased tissue hyperinflates to two to three times its size, compressing healthy lung and making every breath a struggle. Every prior interventional approach, from valves to coils to vapour, has been destructive to the lung, limiting treatment to a narrow subset of patients. Apreo Health's BREATHE Airway Scaffold takes a collaborative, tissue-sparing approach: a minimally invasive implant that releases trapped air without sacrificing lung tissue, designed to reach the majority of severe emphysema patients who current treatments cannot help. 🎧 Tune in now to hear how Karun Naga and Apreo Health are rewriting the playbook on emphysema treatment after 25 years of unfinished business. The Crux of MedTech podcast is brought to you by Cruxx, a specialist surgical robotics recruitment agency. To learn more about Cruxx,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠click here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ A big thank you to our sponsors on this season of the podcast; ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP plc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ With a 35-year track record, TTP excels in turning innovative ideas into market-ready solutions. Their team of 300+ experts deliver breakthrough solutions in areas ranging from endoluminal robotics and navigation systems to ultrasound imaging. Whether you're a startup or a multinational, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP plc⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ can accelerate your development with the latest technologies. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TTP.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

    47 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Welcome to The Crux of Medtech, where we sit down with special guests from the medtech industry. We tell the stories of this incredible sector by looking inside businesses from across the trade. Our guests are leaders from companies at all levels, from pre-seed startups and scale-ups to global-scale players. We’re uncovering experiences from the whole medtech ecosystem.

Information

  • Creator
    Crux of Medtech
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2026
  • Episodes
    80
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Crux of Medtech
  • Show Website
    Crux of Medtech

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