Zap Surgical Systems has announced the successful closing of a US$78 million Series E funding round led by Qingdao Baheal Medical, with participation from other strategic investors. The new financing will advance the commercialisation of the company’s Zap-X gyroscopic radiosurgery platform.
A recent press release from Zap announcing the funding closure states that stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is a well-established procedure for the non-invasive treatment of many types of brain tumours that—compared to open surgery—has been shown to provide equivalent-to-superior outcomes, yet involves no surgical incision, causes no pain, and typically requires little-to-no patient recovery period.
The release goes on to note that, due to the cost and complexity of legacy technologies, approximately 200,000 patients—compared to the more than five million patients who could benefit—receive optimal SRS care globally each year. With availability concentrated primarily among only the largest urban academic hospitals, world-class radiosurgery has historically remained out of reach for an estimated 96% of patients who might benefit, Zap’s release adds.
“We founded Zap Surgical to address a clear need: enabling more patients to access state-of-the-art radiosurgery without the prohibitive costs and infrastructure requirements that limit so many providers,” said John Adler (Stanford University, Stanford, USA), founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of Zap. “This partnership with Baheal Medical perfectly aligns with our mission, providing Zap-X with a powerful platform to reach millions of underserved patients globally.”
“We are thrilled to partner with Zap Surgical in expanding access to cutting-edge radiosurgery technology,” Fu Gang, chairman and president of Baheal Medical, also commented. “Zap-X’s innovative approach aligns with our commitment to delivering advanced healthcare solutions that address pressing clinical needs. Together, we are poised to promote how brain tumours and other intracranial diseases are treated, providing more precise alternatives that greatly enhance patients’ quality of life.”
The Zap-X system is claimed to feature an innovative design with unique gyroscopic movement, enabling radiosurgical beams to be directed from thousands of potential angles for precise tumour targeting. This approach prioritises the protection of healthy brain tissue and aims to preserve patient cognitive function. Additionally, Zap states that the vault-free and cobalt-free design of Zap-X eliminates the need for costly shielded treatment rooms, and removes the traditional requirement to manage, secure and replace radioactive isotopes for radiation beam production.
