Since graduating almost a year and a half ago with a strong round of funding, Prescient Surgical has enjoyed early successes that are true testaments to the fact that the startup was ready to stand on its own.
Based in San Carlos, Calif., Prescient has developed a technology that holds the promise of reducing the incidence of surgical site infections (SSI). Studies have shown that SSI adds $3 to 10 billion to the cost of healthcare each year in the U.S. alone. Between two and five percent of patients who undergo inpatient surgery will develop SSI, but those numbers increase significantly with higher-risk abdominal surgeries such as colorectal surgery, where infection rates commonly exceed 20 percent and result in higher treatment costs and longer hospital stays.
The startup recently successfully concluded a multi-center trial in seven leading hospitals across the U.S. to evaluate wound contamination, closely tracking SSI rates to evaluate the effectiveness of its technology.
“The trials demonstrated that surgeons and nurses – and ultimately patients – will deeply benefit from our core technology, which actively combats wound contamination,” said Jonathan Coe, president and CEO of Prescient. “We have demonstrated dramatic reductions in SSI rates and have amassed tremendously compelling clinical data, in what we believe to be the most comprehensive survey of surgical wound bacteriology conducted to date. We are excited to be unveiling our results during major conferences in 2017.”
The Prescient team just returned from the American College of Surgeons (ACS) conference in Washington D.C., where the startup received tremendous interest from general surgeons thoroughly impressed by the efficacy of the startup’s technology.
The device is particularly appealing because it seamlessly integrates into current care protocols and addresses a problem that has been specifically indentified as a critical need by the healthcare community.
A promising future
Prescient is expecting to receive 510(k) clearance shortly and is finishing development of an entire suite of products that target areas of acute need, including abdominal and laparoscopic surgeries, with pending expansion into vascular, orthopedic and endocrine surgeries.
The startup will initially focus on the U.S. market, followed by Europe and other continents as they continue to field interest from around the world.
Prescient will also continue to invest in bench tests and other scientific endeavors to showcase the validity and benefits of its technology and guide clinical implementation in true bench-to-bedside fashion.
Benefiting from the Fogarty Institute’s network and giving back to the medtech community
Coe believes that the Institute was instrumental in helping the startup prepare for this next stage of technological development and market readiness. Receiving a strong fundraising round was also critical in validating and ensuring the longevity of the company.
Prescient still benefits from the Institute’s extended network of mentors, investors and corporate partners, which continues to expand as the organization grows and evolves.
With extensive experience under his belt, Coe now has the opportunity to give back to the next generation of innovators by mentoring one of the first-year Ferolyn Fund fellows, Julia Fox. Ferolyn Powell was a co-founder of Prescient and had a significant influence on the early formation of the startup, including encouraging Coe to apply to the Institute’s incubator program.
“It’s a privilege to be working with these incredibly talented individuals, and I am deeply honored to give back to the medtech community as a tribute to Ferolyn.” Coe said. “I appreciate that I can do my part to help create connections that will greatly benefit the careers of these young innovators.”