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SectionStar is a tissue sectioning and switch robotic designed to extend capability, reliability, and consistency. | Supply: Clarapath
Whereas robotics and automatic programs have been launched in healthcare settings as a solution to alleviate workforce points and standardize practices, a lot of the progress has been geared toward surgical robots or bodily rehabilitation. Clarapath Inc. hopes to alter this.
Final week, the Hawthorne, N.Y.-based firm introduced that it has raised $36 million in Sequence B-1 funding. Clarapath mentioned it goals to modernize and remodel how pathology laboratories course of tissue. This newest spherical brings its whole funding to $75 million.
The corporate mentioned its SectionStar system combines robotics, synthetic intelligence, and automation to modernize how labs course of tissue samples. With the newest spherical of funding, Clarapath asserted that it’ll develop and deploy “a brand new class of healthcare robotics, machine imaginative and prescient, and digital automation instruments, elevating the usual of look after hospitals and sufferers.”
Pathology can profit from automation
The self-discipline of pathology entails the microscopic examination of cells and tissue, Clarapath defined. This work underpins the analysis, prognosis, and therapy pathways of almost each illness kind, together with most cancers, autoimmune situations, degenerative illnesses, and extra.
Greater than 12 million human and veterinary biopsies are carried out every year within the U.S., with hundreds of thousands extra carried out for biopharmaceutical drug security. Laboratories face a multi-pronged disaster, together with extreme labor shortages; rising caseloads; and an antiquated, guide technique of making ready tissue samples, in accordance with Clarapath.
“For too lengthy, pathology laboratories haven’t seen the extent of expertise innovation that different areas of medication have seen,” mentioned Gregg Sossaman, M.D., chair of pathology and laboratory medication at investor Ochsner Well being and incoming president of the American Society for Scientific Pathology. “Clarapath demonstrates the correct mix of technical, robotic experience coupled with healthcare workflow expertise.”
Clarapath says SectionStar can enhance slide high quality, lower turnaround time, and cut back price. | Supply: Clarapath
Clarapath to commercialize SectionStar
Northwell Ventures led Clarapath’s Part B-1 spherical, which additionally included new strategic buyers together with CU Healthcare Innovation Fund, Mayo Clinic, and Ochsner Ventures.
“Innovation is embedded in Northwell’s tradition and integral to the way in which we method funding in novel options which enhance affected person care and decrease price.” mentioned Wealthy Mulry, CEO of Northwell Holdings. “We recognized Clarapath seven years in the past as an organization with a daring imaginative and prescient to transform laboratory medication and are dedicated to continued help of their progressive journey which can remodel medical diagnostics.”
With the brand new capital, Clarapath mentioned it plans to additional speed up the commercialization of SectionStar. It is going to additionally use the funds to develop its gross sales, providers, and precision manufacturing capabilities, in addition to to proceed analysis and improvement.
“Our strategic buyers share in our mission to considerably overhaul this essential side of affected person care that has lengthy been missed,” acknowledged Eric Feinstein, CEO of Clarapath.
“As labs undertake digital pathology downstream, automation in prior steps is essential to ascertain constant outcomes and supply best-in-class samples for diagnostic evaluation,” he added. “Our automation and new digital instruments seize and mixture never-before-seen information, finally benefiting sufferers with sooner outcomes and fewer subjectivity.”
