Via Surgical, an Israeli MedTech startup developing surgical fixation solutions, closed an undisclosed funding round from Taiwanese tech giant - Catcher Technology. This marks Catcher’s first investment in the medical device industry, and in an Israeli company. In order to gain insight into Israel’s MedTech ecosystem, the Taiwanese firm began scouting relevant Israeli startups with the help of the Taipei based Israeli Foreign Trade Administration, which is deployed globally with support from the Israeli Ministry of Economy & Industry.

Catcher Technology spokesperson Kevin Yeh noted that “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."

Two FDA OKs in the bag

If you’ve ever been through minor or major surgery, it’s pretty common for surgeons to stitch you back up using either more modern tacks and anchors or going old school with a needle and thread. However, according to Via, these suture methods can often tear or break following a simple cough or laugh.

This where Via deploys its trademark product FasTouch, a suture fixation system, which reduces labor for surgeons, while making recovery a bit more pleasant for patients. Via’s lockable, closed-loop sutures offer superior repair holding strength, durability, and flexibility while being easy for surgeons to use in a busy operating room. Currently, the product is mainly focused on hernia repair procedures.

“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.”

Founded in 2012 by Lena and Ofek Levin and Arik Levy, the company has already secured 2 FDA approvals for its fixation solutions, and plans on using the newly acquired funds to expand operations throughout the APAC market.