Private equity firm HealthpointCapital, which focuses on the musculoskeletal care sector, has acquired a majority stake in ImmersiveTouch, a medical extended reality (medical XR) company that enables surgeons to visualize and plan surgeries.
Extended reality is an all-encompassing term for virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR).
ImmersiveTouch received FDA 510(k) clearance for its flagship product ImmersiveView, which allows surgeons to plan surgeries in VR by converting DICOM images from a CT or MRI into 3D VR and AR models. The VR allows surgeons to print anatomical models and export designs for custom surgical guides.
In the operating room, the surgical plan or 3D image can be superimposed on the patient’s body and the surgeon can visualize this through AR glasses.
The platform allows craniomaxillofacial, ENT, plastic, neuro and trauma surgeons to plan for facial and thoracic trauma surgery.
“Imagine the surgeon being able to travel inside the body virtually, seeing all of the anatomy and planning their surgery from the inside. The surgeon can then virtually fix the fractures, order custom implants and instantly 3D-print physical models,” Mike Mogul, HealthpointCapital’s managing partner, said in a statement.
“Then prior to surgery in the OR, the surgeon is able to see through the skin, like X-ray vision, and visualize their surgical plan along with the bones, fractures, blood vessels, nerves and muscles. This is available today at Immersive Touch, our latest investment at HealthpointCapital.”
THE LARGER TREND
As of September of last year, the FDA has cleared 69 medical devices that include VR and AR technology.
Several acquisitions have occurred within the medical XR space, primarily by Boston-based therapeutic extended reality platform XRHealth.
In February, XRHealth acquired virtual reality digital therapeutics company RealizedCare, formerly BehaVR. The acquisition combines digital therapeutics with wraparound virtual services to supply value-based chronic care management.
Last year, XR Health acquired cognitive training VR platform NeuroReality, and in 2023, the company merged with Barcelona-based Amelia Virtual Care, a VR platform for mental health professionals.
Other companies in the surgical XR space include Augmedics, an augmented reality surgical navigation platform, and virtual surgical training company Osso VR.
