Alesi Surgical, a UK-based medical company that commercialises inventions developed in the Welsh Institute for Minimal Access Therapy, has raised £2.1m ($3.1m) from UK-based investment company IP Group and Welsh government-backed Finance Wales.
Welsh Institute for Minimal Access Therapy is located in a shared site with the University Hospital of Wales and the University of Wales College of Medicine. The institute is under the auspices of Cardiff University.
Previously the company was called Asalus Medical Instruments. The change in name happened alongside this funding round.
To date Finance Wales has made six investments in Alesi although the total investment amount has not been disclosed.
Alesi plans to use the funding to continue commercialisation of its product Ultravision that uses electrostatic precipitation to clear vapour and particulate matter created by electrosurgical instruments.
The Ultravision system gained its CE mark in 2014.
Dominic Griffiths, managing director of Alesi Surgical, said: “We have developed a simple, hands-free device that is unobtrusive in the operating room and delivers highly effective resolution of the issue of surgical smoke. Surgical teams involved in Ultravision trials were overwhelmingly positive, and the vast majority wanted to carry on using it after the trial ended.”
Ann Casey, investment executive at Finance Wales, said: “Finance Wales has invested in Alesi, supporting it from its early stage research and development through to international market entry. The company continues to go from strength to strength.”
