‘Cutting-edge’ Scottish medical technology to launch globally

A Scottish biotechnology firm has secured £5m in funding to bring its “cutting-edge” dental technology to the US. 

The Edinburgh-based company Calcivis will roll out its patented system, which detects tooth decay by deploying a biologic diagnostic agent in combination with an imaging device.

It uses bioluminescence to show where to implement preventative measures to reverse the damage to teeth “before it’s too late,” Calcivis chief executive Adam Christie explained.

The announcement comes after the system became the first Scottish medical device to be granted pre-market approval from the American Food and Drug Administration.

Christie added: “This investment will enable us to launch our innovative product to global markets – first in the US and eventually in the UK – leading to faster diagnoses and early intervention treatments

“This technology has the potential to revolutionise prevention in oral health care, with cavities impacting more than two billion people globally, according to the World Health Organisation.”

The majority of the funding – £4m – comes from The Scottish National Investment Bank with the remaining cash coming from Maven Equity Finance, which is managed by Maven Capital Partners and is part of the Investment Fund for Scotland, delivered by the British Business Bank.

Paul Callaghan, investment director at The Scottish National Investment Bank, said: “Calcivis is a shining example of how Scotland is leading the way in developing cutting-edge technology that improves our health and wellbeing. We are proud to help the company scale up and enable its flagship product to reach international markets, creating jobs in Scotland.”

What could this bring?

Launching its product in the US could bring significant economic opportunities for the Scottish firm, given that the US medical technology market is estimated to be worth more than $290bn by 2030.

With its potential to prevent prolonged care, the system could give the NHS an opportunity to reallocate funds. In Scotland, the budget for dentistry stands at around £475m for this financial year.