May 3, 2016

Acacia Designs is acquired by Senzime AB, a Swedish publicly traded medical device company

Senzime AB (publ.) ("Senzime") is a Swedish medical device company founded in 1999 and active in the field of developing solutions for patient monitoring. Senzime has entered into an agreement to acquire Acacia through a new shares issue. After the acquisition, Acacia’s shareholders will own 50 percent of the shares in Senzime. In connection with the acquisition, a rights offering to existing shareholders will be made, amounting to 15.2 million SEK (approximately $1.9 million) before transaction expenses. The rights offering is fully guaranteed through subscription commitments and guarantees. 

 

The merger of Senzime’s and Acacia’s businesses creates a company with a broad and unique offering of systems and products for continuous monitoring of biological and physiological processes in patients during and after surgery. 

 

"The acquisition of Acacia is part of our strategy to build a global leader in the field of perioperative patient monitoring. We add an entirely new product and an internationally established network to Senzime. The new Senzime will offer a broader and more complete range of products for the healthcare market," said Lena Söderström, CEO of Senzime. 

 

Dr. Sorin J. Brull and Dr. David Hampton, the inventors of the technology and founders of Acacia, express their full support of the merger with Senzime. ”We’re excited to continue our mission of developing innovative medical device solutions, strengthened by the Senzime team, that safeguard patient safety and improve perioperative outcomes.” said Drs Brull and Hampton.

 

The new company’s systems and products are being verified in ongoing clinical trials in collaboration with industrial partners. Market introductions of both Senzime’s and Acacia’s products are planned for late 2016. The benefits of the merger of Senzime’s and Acacia’s businesses can be summarized as follows: 

 

• Wider range of products in the field of perioperative patient monitoring - a more attractive offer providing greater volume potential and a reduction in the risk of variation in sales of individual products.

• Larger volume potential - common expenses allocated to a higher number of units produced, which increases profitability; through increased total sales more resources can be generated for sales, marketing and development.

• Operational synergies and time to market - resources are used more efficiently in regulatory development, in the planning of clinical studies, logistics, marketing and sales, as well as for administration and management.

 

In connection with the merger, Philip Siberg, Chairman of Acacia, has been elected the new Chairman of Senzime. Sorin Brull and Terry Cross join the Board of Senzime and Lena Söderström continues as CEO for the Senzime group.

 

Read the press release issued by Senzime AB here, and read more about Senzime here.

 

 

Feb 1, 2016

Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation (APSF) highlights issues related to neuromuscular blockade in the February newsletter

The APSF is a leading society working to improve the safety of patients during anesthesia care. In the February offical journal of the APSF, neuromuscular blockade is highligheted with a number of articles. The Editors conclude that “…all anesthesia professionals should understand the importance of appropriately monitoring and reversing neuromuscular blockade. We believe that these articles will increase awareness, provide important educational information and improve patient safety.” Read the complete newsletter here. 

 

 

Nov 19, 2015

New monitoring guidelines published in the UK and Ireland

The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (AAGBI) issues new guidance on the minimum standards for physiological monitoring of any patient undergoing anaesthesia. The new guidelines include a recommendation to use a quantitative peripheral nerve stimulator whenever neuromuscular blocking drugs are given. Read the paper here. 

 

 

Nov 16, 2015

Acacia exhibits the TetraGraph monitoring system at Medica 2015

Acacia is proud to present the TetraGraph neuromuscular monitoring system at the Medica 2015 exhbition in Düsseldorf, DE. Come experience it live in hall 9, booth B11

 

 

Sept 16, 2015

Acacia acquires T4Analytics LLC

Acacia Designs BV has acquired substantially all the assets of T4Analytics LLC, a US-based medical device company in the field of anesthesia monitoring. T4Analytics LLC (“T4”) is a US medical device company founded in 2011. T4 has developed novel, patent pending solutions for monitoring patients undergoing anesthesia to determine when it is safe to wake up the patient and allow spontaneous breathing following surgery. T4 has collaborated with Mayo Clinic to develop the products and holds an IP license. 

 

T4’s solutions are intended specifically to enable improved patient safety following the administration of paralytic drugs, also known as neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs). It is essential to monitor patients who receive NMBAs to ensure the correct NMBA dose and to determine when patients can be safely transferred from the operating room to the postoperative care unit. Objective monitoring of the effects of NMBAs has also shown to reduce the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications as well as improve patient satisfaction and reduce hospital length of stay.

 

The acquistion strenghtens Acacia's IP portfolio, secures global market rights and accelerates Acacia's entry to the US market. We welcome Mr. Terry Cross as new Board Director. For a bio, read more here. 

 

Dr. Sorin J. Brull and Dr. David Hampton, the inventors of the technology and Founders of T4 and Acacia, express their full support of the purchase and IP transfer, and look forward to continuing to develop medical device solutions that safeguard patient safety and improve perioperative care of all patients.

 

Read the complete press release here

 

 

June 4, 2015 

Anesthesiology News highlights risk of not using reversal agents and quantitative neuromuscular monitoring

An article in the industry leading specialty publication Anesthesiology News highlights the research conducted at the NorthShore University Health System, Chicago, which found that patients who are left to spontaneously recover from NMBA blockade are six times as likely to need reintubation within 48 hours of surgery as their counterparts who received a reversal agent. Read the full article here. 

 

 

May 31, 2015

Presented results from clinical trials of the TetraGraph system

Results from the clinical studies performed in Debrecen, Hungary, using the TetraGraph system were presented at the European Society of Anesthesiology in Berlin. The research team concluded that the TetraGraph can be used clinically to assess the effects of muscle relaxants on neuromuscular transmission (onset, duration and recovery from neuromuscular block).

 

 

March 24, 2015

Acacia raises additional capital

Acacia raises additional growth funding from Chicago based investors. The funds will be used to continue the development of solutions aiming to improve outcomes following surgery and help reduce of hospital expenses.

 

 

October 27, 2014

Wall Street Journal highlights complications from anesthesia

An article published in the Wall Street Journal highlights the trends among hospitals and surgery centers to reduce and prevent dangerous complications from anesthesia and sedation during surgery. Link

 

 

October 7, 2014

Acacia secures international funding

Acacia secures additional growth funding from Swedish investors. The funds are dedicated for continued development of solutions aiming to improve outcomes following surgery and a reduction of hospital costs.

 

 

September 29, 2014

Acacia completes Phase III clinical trials

Acacia completes Phase III clinical trials in the Netherlands and Hungary with excellent results. The studies confirm the efficacy, safety and intended use of the TetraGraph with industry leading accuracy and ease-of-use.

 

 

August 25, 2014

Acacia signs Global Licensing Agreement

Acacia signs its first Production and Sales Licensing Agreement with a major medical device company. 

 

 

August 1, 2014

Appointment of new CEO

Philip Siberg appointed CEO of Acacia, and becomes a significant shareholder of the Company. For bio, see link

 

 

May 30, 2014

Acacia completes Phase II clinical trials

Acacia completes successful Phase II clinical studies of the TetraGraphTM in the Netherlands.

 

 

February, 2014

Survey among US anesthesiologists confirms the need of objective monitoring

In a survey conducted by the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation (APSF) among 3,182 clinical practitioners, it was concluded that 90% of respondents agreed on the need for routine and objective intraoperative monitoring of neuromuscular blockers. 85% of the respondents agreed there was an association between residual neuromuscular blockade and pulmonary complications in the first 24 hours postoperatively. Read more about the survey here on pages 70-71.

 

 

January 29, 2014

Acacia secures funding

Acacia secures seed funding from US-based investors.

 

 

January 10, 2014

Acacia incorporation

Acacia Designs BV is founded by Prof. Sorin J. Brull, Dr. Dave Hampton and Dr. Richard Polisner. The goal is to develop the next generation gold-standard anesthesia monitors. The TetraGraphTM system is born. It’s all about improving patient outcomes and reducing hospital costs. Seed funding is secured.

 

 

In the 1980′s

The seeds of Acacia are planted 

Professor Brull, a globally recognized leader in the field of Anesthesiology, publishes some of his first of >400 studies, including 41 federally and industry funded research projects. At the same time, Professor Brull collaborates on the development of the TOF-Watch(TM) neuromuscular transmission monitor, a portfolio of products that will later lead the market.

 

At the same time, Dr. Hampton files the first of his 23 issued patents and initiates his career with Medtronic to later become Director and Fellow. Dr. Polisner opens his surgery practice and the first of seven diagnostic and musculoskeletal treatment centers. Mr. Siberg completes his first exit as a teen entrepreneur.

 

Since the 1980s, hundreds of studies and letters to editors are published confirming the need of objective neuromuscular monitoring following the use of neuromuscular blocking agents.