The New Wave in Gastroenterology
This article was originally published in Start Up
Executive Summary
Gastroenterology, once a market comprised of large, reusable pieces of equipment like endoscopes, ushers in a new era of minimally invasive surgical disposables. Indeed, minimally invasive procedures make it possible for surgical devices to encroach upon drug franchises in several multi-billion dollar markets, including gastroesophageal reflux disease and obesity.
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MediGus Ltd.
MediGus Ltd. combines an endoscopic stapler with a miniaturized ultrasonic sighting system in a tool designed to permit surgeons to convert open or laparoscopic surgeries to least-invasive endoscopic surgeries.
IntraPace Inc.
In gastroparesis, IntraPace hopes that a device can accomplish what drugs can't--the appropriate emptying of the stomach. The company is developing gastric pacing devices that use electrical stimulation to influence the gut's contractions. The company believes it can also address other motility disorders, and obesity.
Semorex Inc.
Semorex hopes to create plastic antibodies that fit into targets to serve many purposes; as therapeutics, as drug screening and design tools, as separation reagents, and as diagnostics. In drug discovery, for example, Semorex aims to supply researchers with large quantities of artificial receptors for use in high throughput arrays. This will be particularly useful in cases where natural receptors are difficult to isolate or are not available in large quantities.