VentriFlo Secures $10 Million Series A Funding to Advance Development of True Pulse Pulsatile Blood Pump System

On September 23, 2019, VCBeat (WeChat ID: vcbeat) learned from foreign media reports that medical device company VentriFlo announced the completion of a $10 million Series A financing round. Investors in this round included Jim Poitras and Pat Poitras.

VentriFlo plans to use the proceeds from this financing round to continue developing its VentriFlo True Pulse Pump pulsatile blood pump system and to submit an FDA 510(k) clearance application for its patented platform.

Human Blood Pump, also known as an artificial heart pump, is a small-scale power device with variable speed and volume, primarily used to replace cardiac function. Based on working principles, blood pumps are categorized into positive displacement (pulsatile) and rotary (impeller-based) types; according to the mode of assistance, they are divided into total artificial hearts and ventricular assist devices; and by implantation location, they are classified as extracorporeal or implantable. Blood pumps mechanically drive blood flow to temporarily substitute for ventricular ejection function and recover blood lost during surgery, thereby maintaining systemic circulation.

VentriFlo’s pulsatile blood pump system, the VentriFlo True Pulse Pump, is a novel, biomimetic medical device primarily designed to provide cardiopulmonary support for critically ill patients in intensive care units (ICUs) or operating rooms. The system comprises a telescoping pump, a flexible membrane, a console, and control valves, driven by a linear electromagnetic motor. The console of the blood pump system is a compact electronic unit that directs the pump driver based on predefined waveform algorithms and user inputs.

Unlike other blood pumps, the VentriFlo True Pulse Pump closely mimics the human heart, providing a stable, natural rhythm and sufficient power. Clinical trials have demonstrated that the device is highly effective, reducing patients’ medical costs and enhancing safety during treatment. Currently, this blood pump system is intended for research purposes only and is not available for commercial sale.

VentriFlo, established in 2019 and headquartered in New Hampshire, USA, is a medical device company. The company is dedicated to designing and developing blood pump systems to improve human microcirculation, vital organ perfusion, and patient outcomes, while reducing the incidence of complications.

VentriFlo was founded by Doug Vincent, President and Chief Executive Officer. A graduate of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mr. Vincent holds seventeen patents and previously served as a medical product development engineer. His device R&D projects have predominantly focused on blood management systems, including dialysis machines (Baxter HomeChoice), apheresis systems (Fenwal ALYX), portable cardiac assist systems (ABIOMED BVS 5000t), and surgical irrigation systems (Olympus ACMI Dolphin II).

Since 2001, Doug has been dedicated to researching blood-related medical devices, combining novel motors with high-performance, highly flexible diaphragms to develop various blood pump systems. Therefore, VentriFlo’s mission is to continuously develop and commercialize breakthrough products such as advanced blood pump systems to improve patient outcomes.

In addition, Doug leads Design Mentor, a company specializing in medical device development and consulting, with a primary focus on developing medical devices based on fluid pumps. To date, Design Mentor has developed more than 30 different medical components and systems, including blood processing products and blood analyzers.

(Compiled by Xu Xiaoxue)