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FREMONT, CA: "Technological advancements now allow us to detect cancers earlier and earlier, but the capability to treat those tumors hasn't improved," explains Current Surgical CEO Al Mashal. "We are bridging this gap through our smart needle technology. We want to allow doctors to curatively treat cancers in hard-to-reach places — without the harmful, debilitating side effects of other treatment options."
Today, True Ventures, 1517 Fund, and SciFounders revealed a $3.2 million seed fundraising round for Current Surgical. A software-enabled surgical platform is being developed by the medtech business in Washington, DC, to enable physicians to precisely and effectively treat a variety of ailments. Current Surgical has raised $4 million in total funding since its co-founders, Chris Wagner, Ph.D., and Alireza (Al) Mashal, Ph.D., founded it in 2020. This sum includes a Small Business Innovative Research award from the National Science Foundation.
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With more than 18 million new cases being discovered each year, cancer is still the biggest cause of death in the world. More than 50 percent of these instances are now identified early on, but advancements in treatment options have lagged. With solid tumors, surgery is the only curative method available. Unfortunately, about 50 percent of patients are not candidates for surgery because it would be extremely challenging to remove the tumor without causing harm to the nearby organs. The most popular forms of treatment for most cancers are chemotherapy and radiation therapy, both of which have related adverse effects.
Current Surgical is addressing this lack of curative treatment by providing physicians with a precision-guided needle that eliminates tumors without damaging the surrounding healthy tissue. Smart surgical needle technology from Current Surgical combines high-resolution sensors and in-the-moment image analysis into one instrument to give doctors accurate control and feedback while eliminating malignancies. The ability to treat any solid tumor in any location will enable surgeons to operate on millions of patients without being constrained by conventional restrictions.
"We're excited about this technology not only for its curative potential but also because of how easy it is to put into the hands of the surgeon," says Current Surgical CTO Chris Wagner. "Since the technology is integrated into the needle, it doesn't take a large, expensive operating room to actually help patients."
"There's so much to be excited about with Current Surgical," said Natasha Sharma, principal at True Ventures. "Al and Chris have put their energy and deep experience with surgical robotics and biophysics into creating smart surgical needles that give surgeons 'eyes inside' so they can work with greater precision, like never before. This team also has immense compassion for the patients and customers who will benefit. We seek that in founders, and we can't wait to see this work come to life."
By automating important surgical procedures, Current Surgical's technology frees clinicians to concentrate on choosing the best course of action for individual patients. The technology offers a wide range of applications beyond curing even the most incurable diseases, including treating cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension, and other causes of chronic pain.
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