U.S.-Based Remote Robotic-Assisted Surgery Demonstration Successfully Completed Through Collaborations with Virtual Incision, Sovato, City of Hope, and University of Illinois Chicago

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Wet lab demonstration showcases the safe enablement, reproducibility, and scale of remote robotic-assisted surgeries across twenty procedures and four specialties

LINCOLN, Nebraska – November 25, 2024 – Virtual Incision Corporation, the developer of the MIRA Surgical System (MIRA), the world’s first miniaturized robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) device and Sovato Health, the world’s only comprehensive solution designed to enable remote surgery and procedure programs, today announced the successful completion of a preclinical demonstration of nearly 40,000-miles combined distance. Four surgeons performed a total of 20 procedures on porcine models as part of the remote capabilities test, representing approximately 2,000 miles for each procedure.

Francesco Maria Bianco, M.D. from the University of Illinois Chicago, and Yanghee Woo, M.D., Yasmin Zerhouni, M.D., and Clayton Lau, M.D., from City of Hope National Medical Center, which is ranked among the nation’s top 5 cancer centers by U.S. News & World Report, leveraged the combined technology of Virtual Incision and Sovato to complete the remote cholecystectomy, colectomy, gastric mobilization / gastrostomy / primary closure, and nephrectomy procedures on porcine models. Yuman Fong, M.D., chair and professor of City of Hope’s Department of Surgery and president-elect of Clinical Robotic Surgery Association (CRSA), oversaw the design and completion of the wet lab demonstrations.

You can read the rest of the press release in the Virtual Incision Newsroom or a PDF version of the story by clicking here.

Shared by Tyler Stowater, board member of Virtual Incision Corporation.

Orasis Pharmaceuticals Announces Licensing Agreement with Optus Pharmaceuticals for Commercialization of Qlosi™ (pilocarpine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution) 0.4% in Korea

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Exclusive Agreement Includes $18 Million in Milestone Payments to Orasis, Together with a Double-Digit Royalty on Sales in the Korean Market

Ponte Vedra, FL, October 16, 2024 – Orasis Pharmaceuticals, an emerging ophthalmic pharmaceutical company focused on reshaping vision possibilities, today announced the signing of an exclusive licensing agreement with Optus Pharmaceuticals, a Korean-based pharmaceutical company specializing in total eye care solutions. Under the agreement, Orasis grants Optus Pharmaceuticals the rights to commercialize, import and sell Qlosi™ (pilocarpine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution) 0.4%, a novel corrective eye drop for the treatment of presbyopia in adults, in Korea.

“Our licensing agreement with Optus Pharmaceuticals marks an important step in our goal of offering patients around the world a safe, effective and innovative solution to manage their presbyopia,” said Elad Kedar, Chief Executive Officer of Orasis Pharmaceuticals. “Building on the momentum of our recent Series D financing to support our first market launch in the U.S., this partnership represents our commitment to bring Qlosi to more patients globally and define what’s next in vision care.”

Additional terms include an upfront payment and payments for key milestones, totaling $18 million, in addition to double-digit royalties on sales in the Korean market. Optus Pharmaceuticals plans to be the first to launch a new presbyopia treatment drug in the Korean market, and plans to launch Qlosi in Korea by 2026, after receiving domestic regulatory approval and sales approval.

For more information about Qlosi and Full Prescribing Information, visit www.Qlosi.com.

Shared by Tyler Stowater, board member of Orasis Pharmaceuticals.

Orasis Pharmaceuticals Completes $78 Million Financing to Support Commercial Launch of Qlosi™ (pilocarpine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution) 0.4%

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$68 Million Series D Financing Co-led by Arboretum Ventures and Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc. 

Ponte Vedra, FL, October 8, 2024 – Orasis Pharmaceuticals, an emerging ophthalmic pharmaceutical company focused on reshaping vision possibilities, today announced the completion of a $78 million financing to support the commercial launch of Qlosi™ (pilocarpine hydrochloride ophthalmic solution) 0.4%, a novel corrective eye drop for the treatment of presbyopia in adults. The Series D financing included a $68 million equity component, co-led by Arboretum Ventures and Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc., along with participation from Catalio Capital Management, Freepoint Capital Group, and returning investors—Visionary Ventures, Bluestem Capital, SBI (Japan) Innovation Fund, Sequoia Capital, and Maverick Ventures, as well as other individuals. Concurrent with its equity raise, Orasis has secured $15 million in structured capital from Catalio Capital Management, of which $10 million will be drawn at closing.

“We are proud to collaborate with leading, high-quality investors who share our dedication to reshaping vision possibilities for presbyopes seeking a break from reading glasses,” said Elad Kedar, Chief Executive Officer of Orasis Pharmaceuticals. “This significant funding will allow us to successfully launch Qlosi, providing the eye care community a near-vision solution with a balance of efficacy and tolerability, using the lowest effective concentration of pilocarpine approved.”1,2

“We are pleased to co-lead this financing and to join an experienced syndicate of investors whose collective support is further validation of the market potential for Qlosi,” said Paul McCreadie, Partner at Arboretum Ventures. “We have high confidence in the Orasis team to successfully launch Qlosi and generate a positive impact on patients’ near vision."

For more information about Qlosi and Full Prescribing Information, visit www.Qlosi.com.

Shared by Tyler Stowater, board member of Orasis Pharmaceuticals.

Sydnexis welcomes Perry J. Sternberg as Chief Executive Officer

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July 16th, 2024 – Sydnexis, Inc., (www.sydnexis.com) a pre-commercial stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of progression of pediatric myopia, is excited to announce the appointment of Perry J. Sternberg as Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board of Directors. An accomplished pharma/biotech executive with over 30 years in the industry and 15 years in eye care, Perry will provide invaluable leadership experience to help guide Sydnexis’ strategic direction and next phase of growth.

 “Perry’s appointment comes at a pivotal time for Sydnexis as we continue to advance our lead asset, SYD-101, to slow the progression of pediatric myopia and the risk of associated co-morbidities,” said Jeffry Weinhuff, Managing Partner at Visionary Venture Fund and Lead Board Director at Sydnexis. “Perry has deep expertise in commercialization of new therapies across diverse markets and extensive experience leading organizational growth and transformation. He will be a tremendous asset to Sydnexis.”

Click here to read the remainder of the press release.

Shared by Tyler Stowater, board member of Sydnexis, Inc.

Mikra Announces Partnership with Virun NutraBiosciences Inc. and Releases CELLF 2.0

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Mikra partners with global leader in NutraBiosciences® to release CELLF 2.0 featuring improved flavor and consistency thanks to Virun’s patented technology

ORONTO, May 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lifeist Wellness Inc. (“Lifeist” or the “Company”) (TSXV: LFST) (FRANKFURT: M5B) (OTCMKTS: LFSWF), a health-tech company that leverages advancements in science and technology to build breakthrough ventures that transform human wellness, is pleased to announce that its U.S. biosciences subsidiary Mikra Cellular Sciences Inc. (“Mikra”) has partnered with Virun NutraBiosciences Inc. (“Virun”), the global leader in NutraBiosciences®1, to offer CELLF 2.0, an enhanced nutraceutical gel for improving cellular health. CELLF 2.0 is available for sale now and can be ordered directly at http://wearemikra.com/products/cellf.

“We are so excited to partner exclusively with Mikra and their CELLF brand containing Glutathione, PQQ and CoQ10. Our patents and patents-pending technologies are a perfect fit for Mikra. The anti-aging, mitochondrial biogenesis benefits of CELLF 2.0 are unrivaled,” said Philip Bromley, CEO of Virun NutraBiosciences Inc.

Read the rest of the story here or a PDF version here. To read the news published by Virun on their blog, click here.

Shared by Steve Kirby, board member of Virun, Inc.  

Virtual Incision to Showcase Miniaturized Robotic-Assisted Surgery at SAGES 2024

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-MIRA, the world’s first miniaturized robotic-assisted surgery device, will make its debut at the national conference for gastrointestinal and endoscopic surgeons 

 – Scientific program includes four presentations that highlight Virtual Incision’s technology, including one-year follow-up of the cancer patient cohort from the U.S. Investigational Device Exemption clinical study 

Click here to view the Key Note video prepared for this event that tells the story of VIC.

LINCOLN, Neb. – April 10, 2024 – Virtual Incision Corporation, the developer of the MIRA Surgical System (MIRA), today announced its participation at the 2024 Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) conference taking place April 17–20 in Cleveland.

You can read the remainder of the press release here on Virtual Incision’s website or view a PDF file of the story by clicking here.

DeviceTalks Interviews Dr. Shane Farritor and Dr. Piet Hinoul

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We're excited to present the DeviceTalks podcast, "Extending a Surgeon's Reach into Space with Virtual Incision's Miniaturization and Remote Tech.” Host Tom Salemi sits down with Dr. Shane Farritor and Dr. Piet Hinoul from Virtual Incision Corporation (VIC) to discuss the launch of MIRA into space. This is the description of the podcast:

On Feb. 16, six surgeons successfully directed Virtual Incision’s spaceMira robotic surgery to perform “surgery” on the International Space Station. Instead of human tissue, the robotic arms cut rubber bands and other tissue like substitutes over 200 miles away from the surgeons. The exercise demonstrated the potential for remote-controlled robotic surgery. 

In this talk we’ll learn how the two-pound surgical robotic system was built and what this achievement could mean for future designs.

Note, the site does require registration to access the 59 minute podcast.

Shared by Tyler Stowater, board member of Virtual Incision Corporation.

Virtual Incision’s MIRA Surgical System to be Featured Among Elite AI-Enabled Innovations at NVIDIA GTC

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Company To Showcase What is On Horizon For Miniaturized Robotic-Assisted Surgery and AI

LINCOLN, Neb. — March 18, 2024 — Virtual Incision Corporation, the developer of the MIRA Surgical System (MIRA), today announced the company will showcase MIRA at NVIDIA GTC. The global AI conference is focused on exploring what’s next in AI, computer graphics, data science, machine learning, and autonomous machines across industries. Virtual Incision will be featured in booth 1332 at the Healthcare Pavilion located inside the Expo Hall. The event will take place March 18–21, 2024 in San Jose, Calif.

During the conference, attendees will have the opportunity to perform a series of simulated surgical tasks with MIRA, the world’s first miniaturized robotic-assisted surgery (miniRAS) platform. The system utilizes the NVIDIA Jetson platform to collect, convert, and enhance visual data from MIRA’s integrated articulating camera. In addition, Virtual Incision will show examples of how Jetson can be used in future iterations of MIRA to enable capabilities such as low-latency remote surgery, intra-procedure AI-enhanced visualization, and post-procedure data analysis.

Read the rest of the press release on VIC’s website or view a PDF archive copy of the story here.

Shared by Tyler Stowater, board member of Virtual Incision Corporation.

Virtual Incision Receives FDA Authorization for the MIRA Surgical System as the First Miniaturized Robotic-Assisted Surgery Device

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-New category challenges industry standards in soft tissue robotic-assisted surgery and has the potential to expand access to minimally invasive care

-De Novo premarket review pathway establishes initial indication for adults undergoing colectomy procedures and lays the foundation for expansion into other abdominal procedures

LINCOLN, Neb. — February 24, 2024 — Virtual Incision Corporation announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted marketing authorization of the MIRA™ Surgical System (MIRA), the world’s first miniaturized robotic-assisted surgery (miniRAS) device, for use in adults undergoing colectomy procedures. The device was submitted via the FDA’s De Novo Classification process, a rigorous pathway designed to classify novel medical devices with no current legally marketed predicate. FDA authorization was based in part on findings from the company’s U.S. Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) clinical study. The announcement was made by Virtual Incision’s president and chief executive officer, John Murphy, at the SAGES 5th Annual Next Big Thing Innovation Weekend in Houston.

“Today marks a turning point in surgical robotics as we have hit a significant milestone in making miniaturized robotic surgery a reality,” said John Murphy. “For more than a decade, our team has been dedicated to our core mission of making every operating room robot-ready. I’m incredibly proud to see our efforts come to fruition. We extend our gratitude to the FDA for its thoughtful review of MIRA’s technology and our clinical evidence. Whether as a complement to the existing mainframes or as a stand-alone platform, miniaturization has the potential to accelerate the adoption of robotic-assisted surgery.”

You can read the remainder of the press release on Virtual Incision’s website by clicking here, or view a PDF copy of the press release.

Shared by Tyler Stowater, board member of Virtual Incision Corporation

Virtual Incision’s Miniaturized Surgical Robot En Route to the International Space Station for Testing of Long-Range Remote Capabilities

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Zerigo Health Appoints Eric Zerneke as New Chief Growth Officer to Expand Commercialization Efforts

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Amazon Health Services alum brings 25 years of experience to fast-growing digital health company

SAN DIEGO — FEB 6, 2024 - Zerigo Health, a digital health platform for the home treatment of chronic skin conditions, including psoriasis and eczema, today announced the appointment of Eric Zerneke as the company’s Chief Growth Officer.

Click here to read the rest of the press release on Zerigo’s site, or click here to view it as a PDF.

Shared by Drew Doshier, board observer of Zerigo Health. 

Sydnexis Welcomes Erin Horn as Vice President, Head of Market Access

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January 19,2023 – Sydnexis, Inc. (www.sydnexis.com), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the treatment of progressive myopia in children and minimizing the risk of associated co-morbidities, is excited to announce the appointment of Erin Horn as its Vice President, Head of Market Access.  With a strong and diverse track record of commercial success in traditional and specialty ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, Erin will provide her market access, launch expertise, and commercial leadership to Sydnexis’ ongoing expansion and growth.

Erin will lead Sydnexis’ market access, pricing, contracting, and go-to-market strategies.  With 25 years of industry experience, Erin brings a wealth of knowledge in leading ophthalmic product launches and building successful brands and teams.

“We are thrilled that Erin has joined Sydnexis in pursuit of our mission. Erin brings a wealth of knowledge, expertise, and direct experience with market access customers and organizations that is unsurpassed in Ophthalmology. She is adynamic addition to the Sydnexis leadership team and we are extremely excited for her future success,” said Nick Ruth, Chief Commercial Officer at Sydnexis.

Read the rest of the press release here on Sydnexis’ site or a PDF copy of the story by clicking here.