The funding, Catcher's first investment in the medical device industry, will help Via Surgical grow in the Asia-Pacific region and support development and production of the company's technology.
Via Surgical has developed the FasTouch suture fixation system, a novel lockable, closed-loop suture that combines the ease of deployment and speed of tacks and anchors with the stronger hold of suturing. The technology makes repair surgeries less labor-intensive for surgeons and recovery less painful for patients, according to a press release.
The FasTouch Absorbable and FasTouch Permanent Fixation Systems have both received 510(k) clearances from the US Food and Drug Administration. This clearance means that the device has been demonstrated to be as safe and effective as an already legally marketed device.
Via Surgical was chosen by Catcher as part of a scouting process conducted with the Israel Economic and Trade Mission in Taipei.
Catcher is a world leader of precision manufacturing in the information and communications technology industry and has developed manufacturing expertise over the past 30 years. The company is working to expand into the medtech, electric vehicle and 5G industries.
“We’re excited to partner with Catcher as it will help us ramp up production of our surgical fixation technologies,” said Lena Levin, co-founder and CEO of Via Surgical. “We are also grateful to the Israeli Foreign Trade Administration for recommending us as one of the leading medical technology developers in a country that is at the forefront of medical innovation. This is a real validation of our efforts and will support us as we expand our technological development into additional surgical areas.”
“There is a significantly increasing trend of electronic and ICT companies in Asia pivoting to the medical field,” according to Tslil Lahav, head of the Israel Economic and Trade Mission in Taiwan.“Israel’s strengths and capabilities in this field had drawn Catcher’s attention, and we are very proud to have been able to help them connect with Via Surgical, an innovative, woman-led company developing cutting-edge medical tech," he said. "We hope to see many other Taiwanese corporations follow in Catcher’s footsteps, and look forward to many similar success stories in the future.”
“There’s a lot of exciting work going on in the startup ecosystem in Israel, and Via Surgical stood out to us for its innovative approach to surgical technology,” said Catcher Technology spokesperson Kevin Yeh. "We look forward to working with the company through this strategic investment."