SURESNES, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)--HEPTA Medical (“HEPTA”), a private medical device company dedicated to providing an efficient, safe, and minimally-invasive thermal ablation therapy for early-stage lung cancer, today announced it has successfully raised €5.7M in the first close of its Series A funding round. The investment was led by BPI France with the participation of M&L Healthcare and Clery IG.
This financing round will enable HEPTA to initiate the US regulatory approval process for the first version of its microwave ablation platform and to commence its clinical trials. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. As lung cancer screening programs are being implemented, the management of early-stage lung cancer patients has become an increasingly urgent concern for healthcare organizations. HEPTA aims to address this need by offering a controlled, incision-less technology, that provides a minimally invasive approach to treat patients quickly, safely, and efficiently.
“We are grateful for our new investors, and excited to bring microwave ablation therapy to new heights. In August, we obtained our first proprietary patent, completing our three patent families under license. We have multiple upcoming milestones, including the release of early preclinical trial results conducted in collaboration with world-renowned centers, which we’ll publish at the CIRSE conference in September,” says Dr. Thomas Bancel, CEO of HEPTA Medical.
The chairman of the board of directors, Gérard Hascoët, a Sofinnova Venture Partner, will be joined by Philippe Boucheron and Jocelyn Kum as representatives for BPI France and M&L Healthcare, respectively.
“We are thrilled to be part of HEPTA Medical’s journey as they push the boundaries of innovation in minimally invasive lung cancer treatment. This investment aligns with our commitment to support groundbreaking medical technologies that have the potential to significantly improve patient outcomes. HEPTA’s unique approach to thermal ablation therapy, combined with their dedicated team and cutting-edge technology, positions them at the forefront of transforming lung cancer care. We are confident that HEPTA Medical will achieve significant milestones in the near future and are excited to support their continued growth and success,” comments Philippe Boucheron, Deputy Chief of Life Sciences Investments at BPI France.
HEPTA Medical was founded in 2019 by Sofinnova medtech acceleration team, MD Start. HEPTA develops a flexible microwave ablation probe compatible with any lung navigation system. It is equipped with a proprietary patented tissue temperature sensor that enables monitoring of the growth of the ablation zone in-situ and in real-time during endobronchial ablation procedures. The device also incorporates predictive software, powered by artificial intelligence, which combines procedural CT images and temperature measurements to display the ablation zone in real-time to the clinician during the procedure.
About HEPTA Medical:
HEPTA Medical develops a flexible microwave ablation platform for the minimally-invasive treatment of early-stage lung cancer patients. Its incision-less technology can deliver thermal energy through the airway. HEPTA Medical’s microwave ablation probe is equipped with a proprietary patented temperature sensor enabling to monitor and control the growth of the ablation zone during the procedure. HEPTA Medical was founded in 2019 out of MD Start – the medical device incubator based in France and backed by Sofinnova Partners. The company is based in Suresnes, France.
For more information, please visit: https://www.heptamed.com/
About BPI France:
Bpifrance Investissement is the management company that handles Bpifrance's equity investments. Bpifrance is the French national investment bank: it finances businesses – at every stage of their development – through loans, guarantees, equity investments and export insurances. Bpifrance also provides extra financial services (training, consultancy) to help entrepreneurs meet their challenges from innovation to export.
For more information, please visit: https://www.bpifrance.com/
About M&L Healthcare:
M&L Healthcare is a Singapore based family office focused on long-term investments in the healthcare sector. With a strategic emphasis on life sciences, medical technologies, and healthcare services, the firm partners with companies across all stages to drive innovation, growth, and improved patient outcomes globally.
For more information, please visit: https://www.mnlhealthcare.com/
About Clery IG:
Clery IG is a French based family office specializing in strategic investments across diverse sectors, with a focus on healthcare, technology, and real estate. Leveraging deep industry expertise and a global network, Clery IG partners with companies to drive sustainable growth, innovation, and long-term value creation.
For more information, please visit: http://clery-ig.fr/#contact
About Sofinnova Partners:
Sofinnova Partners is a leading European venture capital firm in life sciences, specializing in healthcare and sustainability. Based in Paris, London and Milan, the firm brings together a team of professionals from all over the world with strong scientific, medical and business expertise. Sofinnova Partners is a hands-on company builder across the entire value chain of life sciences investments, from seed to later-stage. The firm actively partners with ambitious entrepreneurs as a lead or cornerstone investor to develop transformative innovations that have the potential to positively impact our collective future.
Founded in 1972, Sofinnova Partners is a deeply-established venture capital firm in Europe, with 50 years of experience backing over 500 companies and creating market leaders around the globe. Today, Sofinnova Partners has over €2.8 billion under management. For more information, please visit: www.sofinnovapartners.com.
