Vico Medical Completes Tens of Millions RMB Series A Financing to Advance Heart Failure and Structural Heart Disease Solutions

VCBeat (WeChat ID:VCbeat) Be the first to know,2020Year11Month25Vickor Announces Completion of Tens of Millions in FundingA-round financing. This round of financing was led byShanghai Sunland Investment Management Co., Ltd. Led the Round, with Shanghai Sharewin Equity Fund Management Co.,Ltd. Following, the financing signing ceremony is scheduled to be held at the Shanghai Mansion that afternoon.

It is reported that the funds raised in this round of financing will be primarily used to conduct multi-center clinical trials for Vickor’s independently developed D-shant Atrial Shunt Device, the first of its kind in China, and to continuously advance the clinical trials, registration, and market launch of its Nano-Membrane Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) Occluder.

Previously, Vickor secured angel-round investment from Bilinxing Ventures in January 2019 and Pre-A round investment from the Optics Valley Talent Fund in October 2019.

Vickor, established on July 18, 2018, is an innovative medical device R&D enterprise dedicated to the field of minimally invasive interventional therapy for structural heart disease. Its core products include atrial septal shunts and nano-membrane patent foramen ovale (PFO) occluders.

Interatrial Shunt Devices: An Emerging Direction in Device-Based Therapy for Heart FailureInteratrial shunt devices represent an emerging technological direction in device-based therapy for heart failure in recent years. Compared with traditional treatment modalities, they offer advantages such as broad indications, cost-effectiveness, safety, and ease of adoption, holding promise as a milestone technology in heart failure management. Vickor’s D-shant Atrial Shunt is suitable for patients with various types of mid-to-late stage heart failure, including both HFrEF and HFpEF. By improving the device’s retrievability and replaceability, enhancing structural stability, and incorporating anti-occlusion features, this product further optimizes the suitability and safety of this technology in clinical applications.

Vickor's Self-Developed D-shant Shunt

The First-in-Human study of the D-shant atrial shunt device, led by Dr. Dong Nianguo, Director of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery at Wuhan Union Hospital, has completed enrollment of 18 subjects. Three-month short-term results indicate thatImplantation of the shunt device can effectively alleviate elevated left atrial pressure and dyspnea, improve patients' heart function classification and quality of life, and to some extent ameliorate functional valvular regurgitation and left ventricular structural and functional remodeling., to achieve optimal therapeutic outcomes with minimal cost.

In recent years, an increasing number of studies have found that conditions such as cryptogenic stroke, migraine, and decompression sickness are closely associated with patent foramen ovale (PFO). Interventional closure of PFO has become a first-line treatment for these patients to prevent stroke recurrence and alleviate migraine attacks.Multiple large-scale studies have confirmed that occlusion therapy is superior to long-term pharmacological treatment.

Vickor has pioneered the development of the second-generation nanomembrane patent foramen ovale (PFO) occluder in China, effectively addressing common issues associated with existing occluders in clinical practice, such as high rates of residual shunting, poor anatomical apposition, nickel ion release-induced hypersensitivity, and limited device sizes. The nationwide multicenter clinical trial, led by West China Hospital of Sichuan University, has been successfully launched. To date, nearly 30 participants have been enrolled, demonstrating stable and reliable immediate occlusion outcomes, with promising mid- to long-term results anticipated.

Vickor's Self-Developed Nanomembrane Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) Occluder

Shang Xiaoke, Chairman of Vickorstated: “We appreciate the recognition from numerous professional investment institutions for Vickor Medical. The company’s core philosophy is to develop cardiovascular and cerebrovascular devices with independent intellectual property rights, pioneering such innovations in China, and to contribute to the cause of human cardiac health. Heart failure is regarded as the ‘last battlefield’ yet to be conquered in the field of cardiovascular diseases.”Vickor’s clinical approval for its atrial shunt device marks a breakthrough in this field in China."To date, the product has completed 18 first-in-human (FIM) clinical cases in China. Its sophisticated design and significant therapeutic efficacy have garnered high praise and recognition from numerous leading experts across the country. We are confident in maintaining rapid growth in this field, accelerating clinical research and regulatory approval processes, and thereby bringing benefits to tens of millions of heart failure patients in China at an earlier stage."

Dr. Liu Daozhi, Founding and Managing Partner of Sunland Capital“The large patient population with heart failure in China, coupled with the aging demographic trend that will further drive up prevalence, leads us to believe that device-based therapy for heart failure will be the next golden track in the cardiovascular field. Vickor’s atrial shunt, as China’s first independently developed implantable device with proprietary intellectual property rights to enter clinical trials, addresses unmet clinical needs and holds promise to deliver novel solutions for heart failure patients in the future. As the lead investor in this round, Shanghai Sunland Investment Management Co., Ltd. is pleased to partner with Vickor—a young, professional, and driven team—to jointly deepen our engagement in the fields of heart failure and structural heart disease, thereby benefiting more patients. Leveraging its extensive industry resources and operational expertise, Shanghai Sunland will support the company’s growth across strategic planning, R&D, and market development.”

Ms. Shen Qin, Executive Partner of Sharewin Investment“Heart failure represents the final frontier in cardiovascular disease management. In China, there are over ten million patients with this condition, which is characterized by multiple predisposing factors and a tendency to worsen with age. Over the years, Shanghai Sharewin Equity Fund Management Co., Ltd. has consistently prioritized clinical needs in its investment strategy, seeking innovative and effective therapeutic solutions. We are highly optimistic about Vickor’s team due to their strong background in integrating medicine and engineering. The company’s products under development align closely with trends in interventional cardiology, with domestically produced innovations addressing critical unmet clinical needs. Currently, there is a lack of effective pharmacological and device-based treatments for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Vickor’s atrial shunt device has already demonstrated significant clinical benefits in early-stage human trials, and has also achieved favorable therapeutic outcomes in the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Furthermore, the company is building a pipeline of additional device products for heart failure and structural heart diseases.”

Wuhan Vickor Medical Technology Co., Ltd. was established on July 18, 2018, and is located at the Biopharmaceutical Platform in the East Lake High-Tech Development Zone of Wuhan. The company primarily engages in the research and development, technical services, and sales of Class III medical device technologies and products. As an innovative medical device R&D enterprise, it is dedicated to the field of minimally invasive interventional treatments for structural heart disease. Holding more than 30 national patents, the company has strategically positioned itself at the forefront of innovative devices for structural heart disease. Adhering to the principle of independent innovation, the company is committed to building a comprehensive, integrated platform for the treatment of structural heart disease. Its core products include atrial shunts, nano-membrane patent foramen ovale (PFO) occluders, atrial septal interventional delivery systems, atrial septal puncture systems, pre-shaped extra-stiff guidewires, and transcatheter valve repair devices.

Sunland Capital is a specialized fund focused on investing in the early and growth stages of the healthcare industry. It targets high-growth segments such as biopharmaceuticals, medical devices (including in vitro diagnostics and gene technologies, minimally invasive interventional devices, implantable devices, minimally invasive surgical instruments, and medical robots), and healthcare services. The firm has invested in more than 20 leading healthcare companies. Sunland Capital’s core team comprises founders of listed healthcare companies, as well as professionals with expertise in financial and strategic investment. The team provides value-added services to portfolio companies across various dimensions, assisting them in integrating advanced international technologies and establishing global operational philosophies and standards, thereby fostering continuous innovation and development.

The Jiangsu Sharewin Heike Medical Health Investment Fund was jointly established by Sharewin Investment and Yuyue Group on July 31, 2019. Since its inception, Sharewin Investment has adhered to the investment philosophy of "Steady Progress, Innovation, and Long-term Vision." Its medical investment team has spent over six years developing a specialized investment model that evolved from simple "sector selection" to an "ecosystem strategy," and further to "disease spectrum solutions." The fund has invested in dozens of major healthcare projects in the medical field, including Snibe, Aipeng Medical, Contec Medical, ZhiShan Biology, Nabai Medical, Inluo Medical, Zhongzhi Biology, and Lingsheng Medical. Leveraging extensive experience and resources in medical innovation, entrepreneurship, and market development, Sharewin provides substantial support and professional value-added services to its portfolio companies.