DermaSensor skin cancer MedTech Innovator DeviceTalks Boston
DermaSensor can evaluate a skin lesion for skin cancer risk in under 30 seconds, according to the company. [Image courtesy of DermaSensor]

DermaSensor — the creator of a handheld, point-and-click device to quickly assess skin lesions for cancer risk — is the winner of the MedTech Innovator Mid-Stage Companies Pitch Event.

The Miami-based mid-stage company beat out 1,000 applicants, more than 20 of which competed on-site May 10–11, 2022 at DeviceTalks Boston. DermaSensor walked away with a cash prize and admission to MedTech Innovator and its host of benefits.

DermaSensor’s device uses optical spectroscopy. A light-emitting tip non-invasively touches the lesion, receiving and analyzing data from below the skin at cellular and subcellular levels. The technology could help general practitioners better spot lesions that are potential problems before forwarding their patients to a dermatologist for further evaluation.

Research involving 57 general practitioners — included in a poster presentation at the World Congress of Teledermatology in 2021 — showed the doctors were able to catch 13% more skin cancers with DermaSensor.

Three other companies joined DermaSensor in the final round at DeviceTalks Boston, in which they were questioned by a distinguished panel of executives from Johnson & Johnson, Olympus, Asahi Intecc and BD:

  • Sotera Wireless (San Diego) is the creator of the ViSi Mobile patient monitoring system for comprehensive vital signs monitoring. The goal is to keep clinicians connected to their patients — whether in bed, in transport or while ambulating.
  • Phagenisis (Manchester, U.K. and Düsseldorf, Germany) has developed Phagenyx, a treatment for the cause of dysphagia. Phagenyx, restores the neurological control of swallowing.
  • RevBio (Lowell, Massachusetts) developed Tetranite, a patented, synthetic, injectable, self-setting, load-bearing, and osteoconductive bone adhesive biomaterial. It bonds bone to bone and bone to metal.
A portrait of Cody Simmons, CEO of DermaSensor
Cody Simmons is the CEO of DermaSensor. [Photo courtesy of DermaSensor]
A portrait of Brian Hess, CEO and founder of RevBio
Brian Hess is the CEO and founder of RevBio [Photo courtesy of RevBio]
A portrait of Reinhard Krickl, CEO of Phagenesis
Reinhard Krickl is the CEO of Phagenesis [Photo courtesy of Phagenesis]
A portrait of Devin McCombie, CEO of Sotera Wireless
Devin McCombie is CEO of Sotera Wireless [Photo courtesy of Sotera Wireless]