Boarding PassIsraeli startup develops non-invasive solution for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Boarding Pass
Israeli startup develops non-invasive solution for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
NINA Medical has raised a total of $1.5 million to develop the world's first treatment for the enlarged prostate with its non-invasive solution
“Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) affects the lives of more than 50% of men over age 50,” explained NINA Medical CEO Shmuel Ben-Ezra. “Beyond medications, all existing solutions are invasive, including the so-called ‘minimally invasive’ solutions. They all go through the urethra - not the best patient experience for most men…”
Ben-Ezra argues that the current invasive nature of these solutions means that men avoid/postpone treatment. “With NINA's solution, examination and treatment of the prostate are executed from the perineum in a completely non-invasive approach, while the patient is in a natural sitting position,” he explained. “Men will get diagnosed and treated on time, avoid medical complications due to the untreated prostate, and preserve their quality of life.”
1 View gallery
Left to right: Dr. Yoni Hertzberg, Shmuel Ben-Ezra, and Alex Volovick
(Photo: Nina Medical)
You can learn more about the company below.
Company Name: NINA Medical
Sector: Healthcare
Product/Service description:
The first non-invasive treatment for the enlarged prostate (BPH).
Founder Bios:
CEO Shmuel Ben-Ezra has more than 20 years of experience in the High-Tech industry, mainly in medical technology companies, and some in electro-optics.
Year of Founding: 2019
Last Investment Round: $150,000
Last Investment Stage: Seed
Date of Last Investment: January 2023
Total investment to date: $1.5 million
Investors (leading and all): NGT3 VC, Israel Innovation Authority, Prof Moshe Shoham, and Pipelbiz.
Current number of employees: 1
Open positions: 5
How was the idea born?
We started with technology; we are three physicists, we are also friends, and we have a lot of experience in HIFU (high-intensity focused ultrasound) and applications for non-invasive surgery by thermal ablation.
We have solved the problem of treatment guidance, i.e. navigating the HIFU to the correct place within the body, in an unconventional way - we have invented a new ultrasound imaging modality, enabling real-time imaging (live video stream) of the HIFU inside the body prior to the ablation as well as during the ablation process. Then, we came up with another innovation - approaching the prostate from the perineum, completely non-invasively, in contrast to the trans-urethral and the trans-rectal approach to the prostate of common practice.
What is the need for the product?
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) affects the lives of more than 50% of men over age 50. The total addressable market is estimated at $20 billion in the USA.
Beyond medications, all existing solutions are invasive, including the so-called "minimally invasive" solutions; they all go through the urethra - not the best patient experience for most men…
Therefore, men avoid/postpone treatment. With NINA's solution, examination and treatment of the prostate are executed from the perineum in a completely non-invasive approach, while the patient is in a natural sitting position. Men will get diagnosed and treated on time, avoid medical complications due to the untreated prostate, and preserve their quality of life.
How is it changing the market?
Today 60% of the men who suffer from BPH don't treat it, partially it can be assigned to the invasiveness of common practice, the manual transrectal examination, and the trans-urethral treatments.
NINA's product will create a new market - the non-invasive treatment option, offering examination and treatment in the office of the urologist.
First, it will enable men to stop medications earlier, or even treat instead of medications.
Second, it will increase the pie - the non-invasive experience will lower the psychological barrier and encourage men to diagnose and treat on time.
How big is the market for the product and who are its main customers?
The BPH surgical market is estimated at $20 billion in the USA, and we have the potential to expand it.
Our customers are urologists and men's health clinics for aging men.
Does the product exist already? If not - at what stage is it and when is it expected to hit the market?
The product does not exist yet. We have a prototype, we are after animal study and we have accomplished preliminary clinical trials in men (trans-perineal imaging of the prostate). We expect to get FDA clearance 4 years from now.
Who are the main competitors in this sector and how big are they?
Competitors are Teleflex, Boston Scientific, Olympus, JnJ, and others. They show interest in NINA Medical - because our technology is unique; we are the only one to develop a non-invasive treatment, approaching the prostate from the perineum.
What is the added value that the founders bring to the company and the product?
The founders are physicists with a lot of experience in HIFU and non-invasive surgery, system design, and product realization.
What will the money coming in from the round be used for?
We will use the money for system preparation for clinical trials, and for the development of a regulatory path and reimbursement strategy. We will build a team of 5-7 employees in R&D and Management.
In the "Startup Boarding Pass" section, CTech will cover the (relatively) small investments made in companies during the early stages of their existence - and the entrepreneurs and startups who have not yet had the opportunity to reveal their stories to the world. Please use the linked form and fill it out according to the guidelines. This form is intended for startups raising between $500,000 and $3 million from venture capital funds, angels, or official grants from Israeli and foreign institutions. If relevant, someone at CTech will be in touch for follow-up questions.
