Melbourne medtech start-up, 4Dx is finding remarkable success in the US.
4Dx have made the move to the US to continue to work towards commercializing their world-first lung imaging technology, in the lead up to FDA clearance early next year.
Working collaboratively in partnership with leading US hospitals, this technology creates the possibility of much earlier diagnosis of lung disease, which could improve the lives of millions of people.
At this stage there are partnerships in place with Cedar-Sinai, Cleveland Clinic, Children’s Hospital LA and North Carolina Chapel Hill.
The technology, which is predominantly SaaS, is truly disruptive against tools that are out of date, requiring two or three pieces of diagnostic information to piece together what is happening in someone’s lungs.
What exactly does 4Dx do?
4Dx offers a game-changing diagnostic tool that images the breathing lungs, making it possible to see what is really important, which is how they work, not what they look like.
Despite a having brilliant career in research, which included being promoted to Professor just six years after finishing his PhD and winning several awards and prestigious grants, founder and CEO Andreas Fouras, has left the laboratory behind in favour of a more entrepreneurial role. He is now working full-time as the CEO of 4Dx.
Beyond the technical skills, for Andreas, getting the product and technology into the marketplace so that it can actually make a difference has been one of the biggest challenges.
Currently leading a $4 million capital raise, which has already secured close to $2 million in just a couple of months, Andreas admits that “learning to talk to investors in their language, and learning to see it from their point of view is essential, because if it’s not investable, it won’t ever happen.”
At the same time, Andreas points to the support from Monash University as being very helpful in getting the IP out under a license with attractive commercial terms so a company could be founded around it.
With 4Dx credibly forecasting revenue into the billions of dollars – the company and Andreas’ mobilizing influence is definitely flying under the radar.
