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DermaSensor Inc.

Category: AI in Healthcare

A handheld, AI-powered medical device for non-invasive, point-of-care evaluation of suspicious skin lesions for cancer. DermaSensor Inc. was founded in 2009. The company is led by Cody Simmons. Based in Miami, Florida, USA. Team size: 51-200. Total funding raised: $44.7M. Latest round: Series B. Key investors include Ceros Capital, SternAegis Ventures, Lateral Capital, Dr. Maurice R. Ferré, Fred Moll.

Founded
2009
Headquarters
Miami, Florida, USA
Team size
51-200
Total funding
$44.7M

Value proposition

To provide healthcare professionals with an immediate, objective tool to help them better identify suspicious skin lesions that warrant a referral to a dermatologist, thereby improving the accuracy and efficiency of skin cancer detection.

Products and solutions

DermaSensor Handheld Device

Unique value

DermaSensor is the first FDA-cleared, AI-powered device that enables non-specialist physicians to evaluate the three most common types of skin cancer (melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma) non-invasively at the point of care.

Target customer

Primary Care Physicians (PCPs) and other frontline healthcare providers.

Industries served

Healthcare, Medical Devices, Digital Health, Artificial Intelligence

Technology advantage

The core technology is Elastic Scattering Spectroscopy (ESS), which uses light to capture information about the cellular and subcellular characteristics of a lesion. An AI algorithm then analyzes this data in seconds to provide a clear, binary result ('Investigate Further' or 'Monitor'), helping to standardize and improve the accuracy of skin lesion assessments by non-dermatologists.

How they differentiate

DermaSensor differentiates itself by offering a handheld, non-invasive device that uses AI and Elastic Scattering Spectroscopy to provide an immediate, objective assessment of suspicious skin lesions. Unlike competitors that may require biopsies, lab tests (DermTech's genomic patch), or are designed for specialist settings (Canfield's imaging systems), DermaSensor is built for frontline use by primary care physicians to help them triage patients more effectively.

Main competitors

DermTech, Canfield Scientific, Modernizing Medicine

Key partnerships

Boston University: The foundational Elastic Scattering Spectroscopy (ESS) technology was invented and patented by Professor Irving J. Bigio at Boston University, representing a core technology transfer partnership.

Notable customers

Information on specific customers or case studies is not publicly available.

Major milestones

Received FDA De Novo clearance in January 2024, making it the first AI-powered device to detect all three common types of skin cancer (melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma)., Successfully completed two FDA pivotal studies, meeting all primary endpoints., Obtained CE Mark, allowing for sales in Europe., Secured regulatory approval and is available for sale in Australia and New Zealand., Named to TIME's list of the Best Inventions of 2024.

Growth metrics

Specific growth metrics such as revenue or number of devices sold are not publicly available.

Market positioning

DermaSensor is positioned as a first-in-class, FDA-cleared decision support tool for primary care providers. It aims to become a standard preliminary evaluation tool for skin cancer, helping to reduce unnecessary referrals and specialist visits while catching cancers earlier. Its focus is on empowering non-specialists at the point of care.

Geographic focus

The primary geographic focus is the United States, following its recent FDA clearance. The device is also CE Marked for sale in Europe and is commercially available in Australia and New Zealand.

Patents and IP

DermaSensor, Inc. holds numerous patents related to its technology, including for the handheld instrument design and the methods used for characterizing tissue through spectroscopy. Examples include patents for "Handheld instrument for characterizing tissue" and "Systems and methods for characterizing tissue".

About Cody Simmons

Previously served as SVP & General Manager at Verana Health, a healthcare data and analytics company. He also worked in marketing at Genentech and was a consultant at Leerink Swann. He co-founded DermaSensor in 2009.

Official website: