List
7 Startups for Prostate Health
In the U.S. alone, about 174,650 new cases of prostate cancer will have been diagnosed in 2019 and around 31,620 people will have died from the disease
Prostate cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer worldwide and the second most common cancer in men, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Most people diagnosed with prostate cancer survive, but when untreated or diagnosed too late, the disease can also be fatal.
The American Cancer Society estimates that about 174,650 new cases of prostate cancer will have been diagnosed in 2019 and around 31,620 people will have died from the disease in the U.S. alone.
Unrelated to prostate cancer is a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, that often causes urination problems in older men. By age 85, 90% of the male population will have BPH, according to a 2019 report by Harvard Health.
In honor of Men’s Health Awareness Month taking place annually in November, listed below are seven Israel-based startups focused on prostate health.
Men's health doctor (illustration). Photo: Shutterstock Medi-Tate
Founded: 2007
Funding: $30 million
Founder: Ido Kilemnik
Medi-Tate Ltd. develops medical devices to relieve symptoms of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), also known as prostate enlargement. The company’s devices are inserted in a short, non-invasive procedure, and are placed in the prostatic urethra, where the device pushes obstructive tissue aside, reshaping the prostate.
ProArc Medical
Founded: 2010
Funding: $7 million
Founder: Yair Feld
ProArc Medical Ltd. develops medical devices to alleviate urinary tract side effects caused by BPH. The company’s signature device, which consists of an implant in the shape of an open ring, is placed in the enlarged prostate tissue just under the urethral surface to expand the obstructed area while avoiding contact with urine.
Nucleai
Founded: 2017
Funding: $5 million
Founders: Avi Veidman, Lotan Chorev, Eliron Amir
Nucleai Ltd. develops software that uses computer vision and machine learning algorithms to detect signs of prostate cancer and gastrointestinal diseases. Nucleai’s technology is designed to make the work of pathologists more efficient, reduce errors, and shorten patients’ waiting time for a diagnosis, according to company statements. The company’s software also factors in information drawn from patients’ medical records and genomics data.
Keren Medical
Founded: 2007
Funding: $600,000
Founders: Jack Baniel, Eyal Bressler, Eliahu Eliachar, Dan Sadeh Hochstadter, Ofer Yossepiwitch
Keren Medical's device. Photo: Keren Medical Ltd.
Ibex
Founded: 2016
Funding: $11 million
Founders: Joseph Mossel, Chaim Linhart
Ibex co-founders, chief medical officer and chief strategy officer. Photo: PR
UC-CARE
Founded: 2004
Funding: $15 million
Founders: Shaike Schatzberger
UC-Care Medical Systems Ltd. develops diagnostic tools that aim to improve the timeliness of prostate cancer diagnosis and the treatment of such cancer. The company’s technology works together with ultrasound systems to better detect tumors and track even minor changes in them.
Butterfly Medical
Founded: 2014
Founders: Adrian Paz, Yehuda Bachar
Butterfly Medical Ltd. develops an implantable medical device designed to assist in the treatment of BPH. The company's device is inserted by cystoscopy and dilates the prostate urethra, enabling doctors to treat and operate prostate enlargements without making surgical incisions. The company currently has a clinical trial underway in four Israeli hospitals, according to company statements.
This article has been amended. A previous version of this article made a direct link between BPH and prostate cancer.
