ZAP Surgical Systems Inc., a developer of robotic tools for non-invasive brain surgery, has closed a $78 million Series E funding round to accelerate the commercialization of its ZAP-X Gyroscopic Radiosurgery platform. The company aims to make stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) more accessible by addressing the prohibitive costs and infrastructure barriers associated with traditional systems.

SRS is an outpatient procedure for treating brain tumors, including metastases and meningiomas, as well as intracranial disorders like trigeminal neuralgia. Unlike open surgery, SRS requires no incisions, causes no pain, and involves minimal recovery time while delivering equivalent or superior outcomes, according to the San Carlos, California-based company.

Dr. John R. Adler, founder and CEO of ZAP Surgical and professor emeritus of neurosurgery at Stanford University, stated that the company was established to address a clear need in the medical community. He explained that he founded ZAP Surgical to enable more patients to access state-of-the-art radiosurgery without the prohibitive costs and infrastructure requirements that limit so many providers.

ZAP Surgical estimates that over 5 million patients worldwide could benefit annually from SRS. However, only 200,000 currently receive optimal care due to the high costs and complexity of existing technologies, which are predominantly available in large urban academic hospitals.

The ZAP-X platform seeks to close this gap with its dedicated cranial radiosurgery system that uses advanced gyroscopic technology to deliver highly precise radiation beams from thousands of angles. This innovation protects healthy brain tissue, preserves cognitive function, and eliminates the need for expensive shielded treatment rooms and radioactive isotopes.

The Series E funding round was led by Qingdao Baheal Medical Inc., a major healthcare company in China, alongside other strategic investors. Dr. Adler noted that the partnership with Baheal Medical would help expand the availability of ZAP-X to underserved patients worldwide.

Baheal Medical’s chairman and president, Fu Gang, shared the company’s enthusiasm for the collaboration, saying that he was thrilled to partner with ZAP Surgical in expanding access to cutting-edge radiosurgery technology and that ZAP-X’s innovative approach aligns with their commitment to delivering advanced healthcare solutions that address pressing clinical needs.

With this funding and partnership, ZAP Surgical is positioned to redefine radiosurgery, providing accessible and precise treatment options to millions of patients globally.