Convergence: What's Next at the Nexus?
This article was originally published in Start Up
Executive Summary
Convergence is the great hope of pharmaceutical and device companies hoping to enter into new high growth markets with differentiated products. Drug-eluting stents turned a stagnant product into a thriving $6 billion market, and now companies are trying to find the next large opportunity that combines devices and drugs. They're looking at many kinds of implantable devices that incorporate biomaterials and drugs to achieve site specific drug delivery, in cardiovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, ophthalmology, orthopedics, wound healing, and anti-infection.
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Gauging the Risks of Financing Convergence Start-Ups
A handful of recent biotech-device company deals have highlighted the potential of drug-device convergence as natural extensions of the ever-popular repurposing and drug delivery models espoused by investors aiming to reduce the risks associated with drug discovery. Venture capitalists are eager to get in on the game, but drug and device hybrid business models are few and far between. True convergence start-ups remain thin on the ground, a fact VCs say reflects the additive nature of drug risk and device risk.