Scottish microwave health tech innovator snaps up US distributor

Scottish microwave health tech innovator snaps up US distributor

Eamon McErlean and Gary Beale - founders of Emblation

Microwave health tech pioneer Emblation has acquired a US distributor for an undisclosed sum as part of its growth strategy.

The Scottish-based firm has been undertaking a two year-long period of major expansion and says the acquisition of Saorsa Inc will help fuel the next phase of its development.

As part of the seven-figure deal, Saorsa will now become Emblation Inc to spearhead growth in the US, having already built up a record as the sole distributor of its Swift Microwave Therapy technology in the country.



Gary Beale, co-founder and CEO of Emblation, said: “This is a huge step towards us achieving both our commercial and clinical goals over the next four years. The US is the largest global healthcare market and from an Emblation perspective, represents a major area for growth.

“The scale and potential impact of this one acquisition is massive for us. It is an exciting time for everyone in the firm, and I’m delighted we will now be integrating such an enthusiastic and energetic team to the Emblation global family.”

Saorsa, a firm headquartered in Orlando, Florida, is led by its founders, med-tech industry leaders, Chris McNamara and Pete Turnbull. The pair first met Mr Beale to spearhead the launch of the Swift machine in Canada.

Mr Beale added: “When we began discussing our plans for the US market, they were determined to take advantage of the opportunity and as a result, they founded Saorsa alongside two investors and former colleagues in 2018.”

Since then, Saorsa has been the exclusive supplier of Swift in the US, rolling out more than 400 devices, with more than 1000 practitioners trained in its use and more than 50,000 treatments carried out on skin lesions.

However, following the acquisition, it is now expected to deliver even greater growth and is already recruiting new staff with ambitions to triple the number of Swift devices in use across the US in the next three years.

Scottish microwave health tech innovator snaps up US distributor

Pete Turnbull and Chris McNamara - founders of Saorsa

Mr McNamara, co-founder of Saorsa, added: “We are excited and energised to be officially joining the Emblation group. This acquisition was an important step for both companies to achieve our long-term ambition to establish Swift as the market leader in microwave-based applications for the treatment of skin lesions.

“We understand the challenges facing US private practice and are committed to making an impact through innovation. We’ll be able to immediately benefit from shared capabilities and will sharpen our focus on accelerated growth for the US business.”

The creation of Emblation Inc in the US, follows the establishment earlier this year of Emblation GmbH in Germany and brings a third global business under the Emblation corporate umbrella.

The medical technology company is innovating the way microwave energy is used in healthcare. Its aim is to improve on traditional treatments, using the unique advantages microwaves deliver – accurate, repeatable procedures, and better clinical outcomes.

Swift provides podiatrists and dermatologists with a new, precise, and easy procedure for soft tissue lesions. The treatment works by delivering a highly controlled dose of energy into the tissue, creating heat which stimulates an immune response. This delivers highly effective outcomes for stubborn skin lesions, such as warts and verrucae.

Emblation’s technology is changing the treatment of HPV infections globally, and is widely used in dermatology, podiatry and oncology, with a number of disruptive applications under development in the fields of cardiology and gynaecology.

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