Galway-born start-up Symphysis Medical wins grant to advance cancer care device.
SymPhysis Medical, a Galway-based medtech company, has secured a $1.25 million non-dilutive grant from the Rhode Island Life Science Hub to accelerate the US development of its Releaze Drainage System.
The company’s breakthrough device is an at-home solution for managing malignant pleural effusion in late-stage cancer patients.
“The company will remain headquartered in Galway, where we have built Releaze from the ground up with Irish clinicians, nurses, patients and carers”
The funding will enable SymPhysis Medical to establish its first US base in Rhode Island, advance regulatory clearance, and build partnerships across New England’s life sciences cluster.
The grant forms part of a $4.5m package announced this week by the state-backed organisation, which was created to strengthen Rhode Island’s life sciences sector and attract high-potential companies.
Rhode Island Life Science Hub was launched with a $45 million commitment from the state through federal recovery funds and has deployed more than $20 million to date across infrastructure, grants and incentives.
Greater comfort for cancer patients
SymPhysis Medical’s Releaze system is designed to treat malignant pleural effusion, a complication of advanced cancers that causes fluid build-up in the chest, leading to severe breathlessness and pain.
The condition affects more than 150,000 people annually in the US and is typically managed through invasive procedures and repeated hospital visits.
Unlike traditional indwelling pleural catheters, Releaze is being developed as a port-style system with a safety-valve catheter and compact external hub, allowing patients and carers to manage drainage at home with greater comfort and independence.
“This funding gives us the runway to put a team on the ground in the United States, complete key testing and move Releaze towards first regulatory clearance,” said Tim Jones, co-founder and chief executive of SymPhysis Medical.
“For Irish medtech, the northeast corridor is where many of the big decisions in cancer care are made. Having Rhode Island Life Science Hub backing us to build there is a strong signal that what we are doing for late-stage cancer patients matters.”
Jones added that the company’s goal is to help patients breathe more easily at home, reduce hospital visits and maintain a sense of control. “This grant helps us get much closer to making that a reality,” he said.
SymPhysis Medical has previously raised more than €4m from Irish and European investors and health innovation programmes to progress Releaze towards US Food and Drug Administration clearance and early international commercialisation. The Rhode Island award adds approximately €1.1m in US public-sector support to its funding mix.
The company plans to use its Rhode Island base to run elements of clinical and commercial work in collaboration with local health systems, investors and industry partners, while continuing to grow its engineering and operations team in Galway.
“The company will remain headquartered in Galway, where we have built Releaze from the ground up with Irish clinicians, nurses, patients and carers,” Jones said. “Rhode Island gives us a bridge into the US market, not a replacement for what we are doing here.”
The grant was awarded under Rhode Island Life Science Hub’s New Business Attraction programme, which provides non-dilutive funding to life science companies establishing a first-time presence in the state.
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