S4 Medical Raises Financing for Esolution Esophageal Deflection Device in AF Ablation Procedures

August 4, 2023—S4 Medical Corp, which is developing an esophageal deflection device to use during atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation procedures, recently announced the closing of a $5 million investment as part of its Series B financing round. The financing will support the United States and European regulatory approval of the company’s Esolution device as well as manufacturing scale-up for potential commercial launch in 2024. The financing, which was led by a multinational strategic corporation, includes an option to buy the company upon completion of certain milestones.

According to S4 Medical, the company’s device is designed to use suction and deflection to deviate the esophagus away from ablation energy used in AF ablation procedures. Use of the device showed significant reduction in ablation-related esophageal injury in EASY AF, the company’s recent randomized, prospective, multicenter, multinational, and double-blinded investigational device exemption study.

Emile Daoud, MD, Section Chief of Electrophysiology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, is S4 Medical’s Chief Medical Officer.

“The EASY AF study showed that use of the Esolution device resulted in a significant reduction in ablation-related esophageal injury, and that it easily fits with the workflow of ablation procedures,” commented Dr. Daoud in the company’s press release. “Esophageal injury can lead to a rare, yet fatal complication known as atrioesophageal fistula. Mitigating this risk not only improves patient safety, but also helps physicians provide the most efficacious treatments to deliver the best patient outcomes.”

William Fuller, CEO of S4 Medical, stated in the press release, “This funding is another testament to the success of S4 Medical and is intended to take us through the necessary approvals and design for manufacturing initiatives for an anticipated commercial launch.”

Fuller further noted, “Ablation injury to the esophagus is such a serious issue that companies have spent billions trying to solve this problem with newer, complicated, and expensive ablation methods. We’ve developed a simple device that is intended to make AF ablation safer without a shift in ablation technologies and procedural workflow.”