Simulation instead of animal testing
Seven years of development time, over $100 million in investment – that's how long and expensive it takes, on average, to develop a new medical device. The biggest hurdle is clinical trials, such as... Simon Sunday, Co-Founder of Virtonomy in Pitch & People Video podcast tells the story:
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PITCH & PEOPLE Episode 9: Virtonomy
“Many fail due to the basic costs, the long timeframe, or simply because they are not feasible.”
This is exactly where it starts Virtonomy to: With digital patient twins based on real clinical data, implants and medical devices can be virtually tested and optimized.
The result: Costs and development time are drastically reduced, animal testing and clinical trials are minimized – with results that meet regulatory requirements. Industry giants such as Medtronic, Boston Scientific, and Johnson & Johnson are already using the Munich-based technology.
How Virtonomy saves lives
What has long been standard practice in the automotive industry is now revolutionizing medical technology. But Virtonomy is about more than efficiency – it's about saving sick lives.
A particularly striking example of the difference Virtonomy's technology can make is the case of a seriously ill heart patient. He was to receive a new heart valve repair system – but the regulatory authority initially refused approval because data on its durability was lacking. Simon Sunday remembers:
"Experimentally, this would have taken half a year. The patient would not have survived, as he had a maximum of three weeks to receive the implant."
The Virtonomy team simulated the test on the computer, checked the durability and safety, and produced a comprehensive report.
"The report was submitted, accepted, and the patient was able to receive treatment. We have saved another life."
Help for the youngest
Virtonomy's approach is particularly important in pediatric medicine. For complex heart surgeries on children, the access routes to the heart are digitally planned in advance.
"The whole process can be tested on the computer before implantation, then the best access route is evaluated together with the clinicians."
For the young patients, this can be a matter of life and death.
DeepTech made in Munich
Virtonomy is backed by a team of around 20 experts with strong roots in Munich's tech scene. After studying applied mathematics and earning a doctorate in cardiovascular engineering, Simon Sonntag founded the company in 2019 together with Wen-Yang Chu, formerly of Philips Healthcare.
Supported from the beginning by Programme of the UnternehmerTUM and international investors Like Holzbrinck Ventures, Accenture, and Honeystone Ventures (Palo Alto), Virtonomy is today a globally growing MedTech company. Interest is growing particularly rapidly in the USA, where the FDA is increasingly promoting in silico methods.
A market that is just emerging – but will become huge.
Sunday is convinced: The market for virtual clinical trials is only just beginning.
"When you look at how much money is currently being invested in clinical trials, you can imagine what it means if we can save even just a few years of development time."
The Munich-based startup demonstrates how digital technologies can change medical technology and create real added value for patients.
