Vacis develops an in‑situ tissue‑engineered blood vessel platform that creates a fully autologous, living conduit within the patient’s body using a temporary subcutaneous synthetic rod. After about 28 days the rod is removed, leaving a fibro‑collagenous vessel with high burst pressure that can be connected to the circulation, offering infection‑resistant, remodelable grafts for hemodialysis access and peripheral arterial disease.
Funding
$2.6M raised to dateRaised to date based on public sources. This may differ from the amount the company actually raised and is based only on what is publicly available on the internet.
1ONIFounders
Product
Problem
Patients requiring vascular grafts, such as those needing hemodialysis access or treatment for peripheral arterial disease, often receive synthetic or donor-derived conduits that carry risks of infection, thrombosis, stenosis, and limited long‑term patency. These complications lead to repeated interventions, higher healthcare costs, and reduced quality of life.
Solution
Vacis provides an in‑situ tissue‑engineered blood vessel technology that creates a fully autologous, living conduit within the patient’s body. A synthetic rod is implanted subcutaneously for about 28 days, during which it induces the formation of a fibro‑collagenous tube with high burst pressure. After removal of the rod, the newly formed vessel is connected to the circulatory system, offering immediate functionality and the ability to remodel in response to physiological demands. Because the graft contains only the patient’s own tissue and no foreign cells or materials, it eliminates the typical complications associated with synthetic or allogeneic grafts. The platform is initially targeted at hemodialysis access and peripheral arterial occlusive disease, with potential expansion to other surgical fields.
Target Audience
Primary customers are vascular surgeons and dialysis centers seeking reliable, infection‑resistant access solutions, as well as hospitals treating peripheral arterial disease patients.
Features
- Subcutaneous implantation of a synthetic rod that triggers autologous vessel formation within 28 days
- Resulting conduit composed entirely of patient‑derived fibro‑collagenous tissue with high burst pressure
- No residual foreign material remains after rod removal, ensuring superior biocompatibility
- Vessel integrates with native circulation and retains the ability to adapt and remodel over time
- Applicable to hemodialysis access, peripheral arterial disease, and potentially urology or connective‑tissue repairs
- Patent‑pending technology backed by eight years of development and preclinical validation