Edwards Lifesciences Corporation and Alcon Acquire Sheba’s ARC-Based Startups

Sheba Medical Center’s innovation arm, ARC Innovation Center has long stood as a catalyst for groundbreaking advancements in healthcare technology. With its mission to accelerate, redesign and collaborate, ARC Innovation has continuously brought together leading experts and startups to develop cutting-edge medical solutions. Among multiple significant collaborations, ARC Innovation Center is allied with Deloitte, working together to accelerate the adoption of ARC’s model in innovation. Together, they develop a comprehensive guide for establishing innovation centers worldwide with the goal of initiating 40 innovation centers annually. 

As of today, ARC Innovation is responsible for the success behind 80 startups, including numerous co-innovations with organizations such as Microsoft, Intel, Altera, AstraZeneca and MSD. ARC’s mission to innovate on a global scale continues with the recent acquisitions of two startups: Belkin Vision, acquired by Alcon and Innovalve, acquired by Edwards Lifesciences Corporation. 

Belkin Vision’s acquisition by Alcon expands access to innovative glaucoma treatment by automating laser eye surgery, potentially improving patient outcomes worldwide. Innovalve, acquired by Edwards Lifesciences, enhances the treatment of heart valve diseases with its minimally invasive mitral valve repair technology, advancing cardiac care.

About Belkin Vision

Belkin Vision started in 2008 with one question Prof. Michael Belkin asked himself, “What if an automated non-contact and effective glaucoma laser treatment existed?”. In 2013, Belkin Vision joined the ARC Innovation ecosystem at Sheba and developed Eagle, which provides non-invasive laser treatment for glaucoma at the touch of a button.

It was at Sheba’s ARC Innovation Center where Belkin Vision’s Eagle was tested, refined and made ready for use. ARC Innovation also allowed Belkin Vision to rapidly prototype and validate its technology in a real-world clinical setting. This collaboration ultimately led to Belkin Vision getting international recognition as an innovative and essential to eye-care.

Alcon Acquires Belkin Vision

Earlier this year, Swiss-American ophthalmology company Alcon acquired Belkin Vision. The acquisition will further include Belkin Vision’s Direct Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty (DSLT) technology, which will effectively bolster Alcon’s glaucoma treatment portfolio with a cutting-edge, first-line therapy option.

“As a therapy with significant advantages for the patient and practice, we believe our newly acquired DSLT technology is uniquely positioned to accelerate the evolution toward first-line use of SLT in the glaucoma treatment paradigm,” commented Sean Clark, President, Global Surgical Franchise, Alcon. “We look forward to broadening access to this exciting technology in the future as we continue to address solutions for unmet needs in glaucoma.”

Who is Alcon?

Alcon was established in Fort Worth, Texas in 1945 by two pharmacists William Conner and Robert Alexander. In the year that followed, the company became the largest eye-care device company in the world and firmly established themselves as leaders in global eye-care. As of today they have worked in 50 countries and have treated people from across the globe.

About Innovalve Bio Medical LTD

Recognizing the essential need of heart disease patients, Innovalve Bio Medical LTD was established in 2017 in cooperation with ARC Innovation. Led by Prof. Ehud Raanani, Head of Sheba’s Cardiovascular and Thoracic Center, and Dr. Boris Orlev, leader of Sheba’s Mitral Valve Surgery Unit, Innovalve pioneered the development of artificial mitral valves for minimally invasive catheter-based replacements. It was after being FDA approved for clinical trials and having completed 40 successful surgeries that Innovalve Bio Medical LTD was acquired by Edwards Lifesciences Corporation.

Prof. Yitshak Kreiss, Director General of Sheba Medical Center, commented: “The health system is a powerful engine for economic growth in Israel. Innovalve’s successful exit is one of many recent acquisitions of Sheba companies by international biomedical giants, underscoring the strong confidence in the innovations originating from Sheba.” He further stated, “These achievements are driven by ARC Innovation, Sheba’s unique innovation platform, which fosters the development of cutting-edge technologies through a blend of entrepreneurial spirit and extensive clinical expertise. We foresee more successes like this, which will not only enhance our public health system but also generate significant revenue for the Israeli economy. This marks a transformative shift, turning the health system into a major economic contributor.”

Who is Edwards Lifesciences Corporation?

Edwards Lifesciences, founded in 1958 by Miles “Lowell” Edwards, is a global leader in medical innovations for structural heart disease and critical care. Committed to improving patient outcomes, the company collaborates with leading clinicians and researchers to address unmet healthcare needs. With a credo focused on bold action and unwavering determination, Edwards Lifesciences strives to enhance lives worldwide, becoming a trusted partner to customers, colleagues, and patients in the fight against cardiovascular disease.

A Future of Innovation in the Making

The acquisitions of Innovalve Bio Medical LTD and Belkin Vision highlight the sheer impact that ARC Innovation is having on a global scale. By fostering an environment where startups can develop their groundbreaking visions into innovative realities to be tested in real-world clinical settings, ARC Innovation positions itself in a very pivotal role in moving healthcare into a future where every patient has a fighting chance at a full recovery.