Tengfu Medical Secures Tens of Millions RMB in Angel Funding to Advance Clinical Development of Pulmonary Artery Thrombectomy System

VCBeat has learned that Shenzhen TENDFO Medical Technology Co., Ltd. (“TENDFO”), a medical device R&D company specializing in interventional therapies for pulmonary embolism, recently completed an angel financing round worth tens of millions of yuan, with investment from Hechuang Capital. The funds will primarily be used to advance clinical research on the company’s pulmonary artery thrombectomy system.

TENDFO’s core team consists of members with over 10 years of experience in the research and development of interventional devices. The company is currently focused on the R&D, manufacturing, and sales of interventional medical devices for pulmonary embolism, committed to filling the gap in China’s market for interventional surgical devices used in the treatment of pulmonary embolism.

The company has established a strategic presence in the two major disease areas of pulmonary embolism and deep vein thrombosis. Its pulmonary artery thrombus removal system, currently under development, has completed registration testing and animal studies, and is poised to commence human clinical trials.

Cardiovascular disease treatment is the second-largest sector in the global medical device industry. Among vascular interventional products, only coronary stents have achieved domestic substitution in China, while niche segments such as interventional medical devices for pulmonary embolism treatment remain untapped.

Huang Dingguo, General Manager of TENDFO, stated: “As interventional therapy for pulmonary embolism has gained increasing attention and application, several new devices for treating acute pulmonary embolism have emerged in recent years. Among these, mechanical thrombectomy can rapidly remove thrombi, quickly restore pulmonary blood flow, and save lives. Due to the complex anatomical structure of the pulmonary arteries and the intricate nature of the thrombi causing pulmonary embolism, ensuring the safety and efficacy of interventional devices for acute pulmonary embolism imposes stringent technical performance requirements on these products. Meanwhile, the development of innovative high-risk medical devices requires substantial investment in capital and technical resources. During the initial stage of development of interventional devices for pulmonary embolism treatment in China, domestic enterprises were relatively cautious, preferring to invest in areas with more mature technologies, thereby placing insufficient emphasis on the research and development of interventional medical devices for pulmonary embolism treatment.”

TENDFO has invested substantial capital and technical resources in the research and development of pulmonary artery thrombectomy devices for the treatment of patients with acute pulmonary embolism, creating interventional instruments suitable for this indication for clinicians in China. With the TENDFO core team’s extensive experience in interventional device R&D and the support of Hechuang Capital, TENDFO is well-positioned to accelerate product development and commercialization.

Currently, the primary treatment for acute pulmonary embolism is thrombolytic therapy, which is time-consuming and carries a high risk of bleeding complications at various sites. The company’s Pulmonary Artery Thrombus Removal System integrates thrombus fragmentation, aspiration, retrieval, and filtration into a single device. With its straightforward operation, it significantly reduces the surgical time required for treating severe acute pulmonary embolism, thereby gaining precious time for clinicians to save lives. By fragmenting large thrombi, the product rapidly recanalizes occluded pulmonary vessels and restores pulmonary arterial blood flow. Its negative-pressure aspiration function quickly removes obstructive thrombi from the pulmonary arteries, while the device’s filter captures micro-thrombi, protecting distal vessels and preventing the development of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, ultimately leading to improved patient prognosis.

Currently, no domestically produced devices of the same type are marketed in China. It is understood that TENDFO’s pulmonary artery thrombectomy system has undergone nearly 20 animal experiments, fully validating the safety and efficacy of the device, and is poised to initiate clinical trials.

As the population ages and health awareness among residents increases, the market size for interventional medical devices in thrombectomy is set to expand, accompanied by growing R&D investment. Specific devices targeting pulmonary embolism will become a key focus of research and development. As a market in its growth stage, there is a strong emphasis on product safety and efficacy, favoring technology-driven innovators such as TENDFO.

Next, TENDFO will focus on the research and development of pulmonary artery thrombectomy systems to facilitate their market entry. In the future, TENDFO will continue to actively respond to clinical needs, expand its product portfolio, and venture into additional disease areas, providing clinicians with more safe and effective innovative interventional medical devices.

Dr. Qi Wei of Hechuang Capital stated, “Acute pulmonary embolism is the third leading cause of death, following coronary heart disease and stroke. However, there are relatively few new technologies aimed at treating acute pulmonary embolism and reducing its mortality rate. Over the past five years, interventional therapies have begun to emerge abroad, driving the development of novel endovascular technologies for the treatment of acute pulmonary embolism. TENDFO boasts top-tier technical experts in the industry, a team with profound R&D background, and a rich product pipeline. Currently, few domestic companies are involved in this field, giving TENDFO a first-mover advantage. We look forward to seeing it become a leading enterprise in the thrombus intervention and removal industry, delivering more and better solutions to meet the needs of a greater number of patients.”

Hechuang Capital is an early-stage venture capital firm founded by an investment management team with a global perspective and extensive industry experience, focusing on the ICT and medical device sectors. Hechuang Capital seeks frontier technologies globally, primarily in China, North America, and Israel, with a focus on investing in technology-driven innovative enterprises. The Hechuang team boasts rich industry expertise and successful entrepreneurial track records, having invested in over 80 high-potential companies with innovative DNA and nurtured a number of leading enterprises in niche industry segments.