Rescond Secures Tens of Millions in Pre-A Financing to Advance Low-Energy Defibrillation Technology in Critical Care
VCBeat has learned that, focusing on product solutions and emergency equipment in the field of acute and critical care,Beijing RESCOND Medical Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as“RESCOND”）Announced the completion of financing byHongrun Venture CapitalExclusively Invested InTens of millions of yuanPre-AWheelFinancing.The injection of this round of financing will helpRESCONDFurther intensify product marketing efforts and deepen technological R&D to deliver globally leading treatment technologies and services for emergency and critical care patients in China.
Since its inception, RESCOND has been deeply engaged in in-hospital and pre-hospital emergency settings involving Advanced Life Support (ALS) and Basic Life Support (BLS), providing a comprehensive solution that includes cardioversion for malignant arrhythmias. Focusing on the specialized medical field of defibrillation, the company has built a complete product line covering the needs of emergency care and resuscitation. The company previously received investment from Shuimu Venture Capital.
Guided by the highest international standards, RESCOND has gained a profound understanding of the core essence of defibrillation technology. As emphasized in the American Heart Association’s Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: “Although healthcare providers select defibrillation energy (in joules, J) when operating a defibrillator, it is actually current (in amperes, A) that depolarizes the myocardium. Although the term ‘energy’ is deeply entrenched in current industry parlance, it is, in fact, a non-physiological description of the defibrillation process.”[1]
In other words, the key to successful defibrillation lies in the intensity of the "average current," rather than solely in the total energy delivered. Due to the electrical impedance of the human body, a portion of the electrical energy is inevitably converted into heat during delivery, which can cause varying degrees of damage to the myocardium. Therefore, minimizing current parameters is particularly crucial.
Building on this foundation, the company has dedicated a decade to honing its expertise and successfully developed internationally leading120-Joule “Low-Energy Biphasic Rectilinear Waveform (RBW)” Defibrillation Technology. Compared with traditional biphasic waveforms,Low-energy biphasic square wave technology requires only 120 J for the initial defibrillation shock, achieving lower peak current, higher mean current, and consistent biphasic discharge duration. This significantly improves defibrillation success rates while more effectively mitigating myocardial injury, enhancing defibrillation outcomes, and reducing the risk of recurrent arrhythmias in patients.
Leveraging this technology, RESCOND has successively launched the RCD-600 fully automatic external defibrillator and the RCD-600E semi-automatic external defibrillator (AED), both of which have obtained Class III medical device registration approval from the NMPA. In addition, the new RCD-500 series semi-automatic external defibrillator is expected to receive certification and be launched in January 2025.
The RCD-600 Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is specifically designed for lay rescuers. It intelligently adjusts internal impedance to accommodate the physiological conditions of different patients, delivering personalized defibrillation currents to ensure stable and safe current output during defibrillation. While achieving efficient defibrillation, the device also minimizes myocardial cell injury caused by excessive peak currents and reduces the risk of secondary ventricular fibrillation induced by prolonged trailing currents. The RCD-600 offers user-friendly operation with a lift-the-lid-to-activate design, providing clear voice prompts throughout the process. It automatically analyzes the patient’s heart rhythm and delivers immediate, accurate defibrillation instructions to the rescuer, significantly improving emergency response efficiency and success rates.
RCD-600 Automated External Defibrillator
In terms of commercialization, RESCOND has established solid partnerships with numerous well-known domestic distributors and successfully collaborated with industry giants such as Volvo, Amazon, China Unicom, and Sinopec to jointly explore the application and promotion of emergency medical equipment in broader fields.
RESCOND Partners with Volvo to Launch the Road Ambassadors Alliance
At the recently concluded 2024 China Heart Congress (CHC), Mr. Zhang Yaosong, General Manager of RESCOND, a domestic pioneer in biphasic square wave defibrillation technology, was honored to be invited to attend. He engaged in discussions with industry experts on core topics such as regulatory compliance for medical device clinical trials, precise trial design, and rigorous efficacy evaluation systems. Mr. Zhang also shared the unique clinical trial challenges encountered by RESCOND during the development of its innovative wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD), which integrates both diagnostic and therapeutic functions, and explored solutions with peers, thereby contributing to the innovative development of medical device technology in China and globally.
For a long time, the deployment rate of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in China has been low, with fewer than two units per 100,000 people. This stands in stark contrast to the average levels reported in the “Expert Consensus on AED Placement and Deployment in China,” which cite figures as high as 700 units in the United States and 276 units in Japan. However, this situation is gradually improving. In particular, over the past few months, a series of landmark policy documents have been successively issued, accelerating the widespread adoption of AEDs.
On April 19, 2024, the National Health Commission issued the “Standards for the Configuration of Medical Equipment in Operating Rooms,” which mandates that operating rooms be fully equipped with automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Specifically, it requires that operating rooms in hospitals at all levels be equipped with at least one AED. These standards will officially take effect on November 1, 2024.
On May 28, 2024, the General Office of the National Health Commission issued the “Notice on Printing and Distributing ‘Health Literacy of Chinese Citizens: Basic Knowledge and Skills (2024 Edition)’.” The notice stated that individuals should be able to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and learn to use automated external defibrillators (AEDs) when encountering patients with respiratory or cardiac arrest; AEDs must be equipped in large public places and high-risk households.
On June 7, 2024, the General Office of the Ministry of Finance issued the Notice on Printing and Distributing the “Government Procurement Demand Standards for Property Management Services (Office Premises Category) (Trial),” which formally incorporates Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) into the scope of basic property management services.
Driven by strong national policy support, a significant rise in public health awareness, and profound lessons learned from a series of public emergencies, the importance of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) has become increasingly prominent, with their deployment accelerating markedly. Today, the application of AEDs is no longer confined to traditional medical institutions; instead, it has extensively expanded into schools, sports venues, shopping malls, tourist attractions, and public transportation systems, thereby establishing a more extensive and dense emergency response network.
Regarding the securing of this round of financing,Zhang Yaosong, General Manager of RESCONDIt stated: “Focusing on the exploration of cutting-edge defibrillation technologies in specialized medical fields is our unwavering goal. We sincerely appreciate Dongguan Hongrun Venture Capital Co., Ltd. for its recognition of our technology, products, and team. The company will continue to track international scientific advancements, address critical clinical pain points in severe cardiac care, and truly align the technical standards of domestically produced cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) equipment with global benchmarks. This round of financing will inject new vitality into RESCOND and accelerate the development of its Wearable Cardioverter Defibrillator (WCD). The company will continue to deepen its expertise in this specialized field, bringing more globally leading CPR technologies to China.”
Runxin TongchuangDongguan Hongrun Venture Capital Co., Ltd. stated: "Hongrun Venture Capital is dedicated to fostering an ecosystem of innovation and growth in the healthcare sector through professional investment strategies, industrial synergy, and comprehensive empowerment. Given the severe shortage and low overall penetration rate of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in China, the market demonstrates significant growth potential. Leveraging our strong team capabilities and our distinct advantage in low-energy biphasic square wave defibrillation technology, we are confident that RESCOND will achieve rapid growth and prosperity in the critical care field. We are also honored to partner with the company to advance the improvement of the public emergency response system, thereby building a more robust safeguard for the health and safety of the general public."
References:
[1] AHA Guidelines 2005. Circulation. 2005; 112[suppl IV].