Vektor Medical raises $16M to build out its AI-based arrhythmia analysis tool
Atrial fibrillation affects about 1 in 50 Americans over the age of 65
The patient population of those suffering from cardiac arrhythmias, or an irregular heartbeat, continues to expand: atrial fibrillation affects about 1 in 50 Americans under the age of 65 and about 1 in 10 Americans over age 65.
"For physicians to more effectively treat patients, there is a need for technology to evolve without creating further time or procedural burdens. When physicians can better assess a patient’s arrhythmia and create a personalized treatment approach based on data, the entire process improves," Rob Krummen, CEO of Vektor Medical, a company developing non-invasive, AI-based arrhythmia analysis technology, told VatorNews.
The company's product, vMap, is an AI-based arrhythmia analysis tool designed to improve the accuracy, safety, and efficacy of ablation procedures.
Now the company will be able to build out its product thanks to a $16 million Series A round announced on Monday. Co-led by Solas BioVentures and TVM Capital Life Science, this brings Vektor's total funding raised to more than $36 million to date.
A non-invasive arrhythmia localization and analysis solution, vMap uses just the data from a 12-lead ECG to assist the physician by providing analysis and visualization resources related to the patient’s arrhythmia. It’s non-invasive, fits into the existing patient treatment workflow, and is complementary to existing technologies in the lab.
"What excites EPs about vMap is its ability to positively impact many different types of ablations. From the most common type of arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation, to the most difficult, such as ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation, vMap provides unique insights regarding the mechanistic sources of those arrhythmias," said Krummen."
"vMap enhances electro-anatomical mapping with these unique insights and drives efficiencies at the same time. We created vMap to work alongside these technologies to add value ahead of and during those procedures to optimize workflow and improve patient outcomes."
So far, Vektor has performed nearly 800 cases at over 10+ facilities across the US, and was able to show a 26.1% reduction in procedure time, a 21.4% reduction in mapping time , and a 46% reduction in fluoroscopy time.
For the most complex and difficult types of atrial fibrillation, vMap was associated with a nearly 40% improvement in freedom from atrial arrhythmias at the one year follow up. Specifically, the vMap study arm was associated with a 86.5% freedom from all atrial arrhythmias as compared with 48.0% in the control group.
The new funding will be used to build out the company's efforts in commercialization and expanding access to vMap; that means expanding the team and adding clinical support members throughout the United States to support a broader rollout of vMap technology.
The company also plans to drive additional clinical studies to showcase the impact of the technology.
"We’re committed to continuous improvement; clinical studies demonstrate the capabilities of vMap as well as the opportunity to refine further. Our goal is to demonstrate and reiterate the value of vMap to help ensure EPs understand how impactful this technology is," Krummen said.
"We’re focused on positively impacting patients' lives – that will always be what success looks like for the Vektor Medical team. We’re committed to revolutionizing arrhythmia care and helping improve care for patients."
(Image source: vektormedical.com)
