Private Company Edition: Arbor is developing drugs based on proprietary gene editors, Acrivon is applying proteomics to precision cancer therapies, and bit.bio is producing differentiated cell products. Also, Marengo launches with $80m, Sanofi invests up to $60m in Gyroscope and Shasqi raises $50m.

A look back at Medtech Insight's five most-read Start-Up Spotlight stories in 2019 pointed to diverse interests among our readers – handheld sensor technology, a bioelectric implant, vagus nerve stimulation, embolic protector for TAVR and digital diagnostics.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is performed routinely using devices providing protection from stroke as standard of care. However, cerebral embolic protection devices currently available do not capture and remove emboli from all three vessels leading to the brain. The Emblok Embolic Protection System from Innovative Cardiovascular Solutions (ICS) has developed an embolic filter designed to protect all three cerebral vessels during TAVR and remove debris from the entire circulatory system.

Starts & Stops compiles all the clinical trial announcements, initiations, completions and suspensions tracked by Meddevicetracker. This edition covers trial announcements from March 4 through March 17, including trial announcements from CardioFocus, Innovative Cardiovascular Solutions, IntraLink-Spine, Geneveve, Acutus, and Stereotaxis.