| DEALFLOWUPDATE Issue #51. Friday, February 28 Hello Everyone, For this edition of the Zoic newsletter, we’ll be covering deals for vaccines (specifically and topically the coronavirus), wearable diagnostics and brain stimulation devices. -Neal If this is your first issue, please subscribe and consider sharing with others. Additionally, we welcome news from our readers, if you’re up to something interesting, let us know. Email chad@zoiccapital.com Deal Flow  Coronavirus vaccines, wearable diagnostics and brain stimulation devices We have covered vaccines several times before, with the hypothesis that, although conventional thinking has been bullish in describing the sector as unprofitable, yet there is still a massive need and room for innovation. The recent, continuing news about the coronavirus shows that outbreaks of new viral infections are a growing threat in our connected world. Not only are new strains emerging, but some of these are RNA infections; more difficult to deal with than before. Moderna is a company that now has delivered the first coronavirus virus for human testing. Moderna’s platform uses RNA to not just produce more effective vaccines and immunotherapies, but in a way that is much faster and efficient to manufacture, as seen in its rapid response. Read More Moving on to diagnostics, we have covered wearable devices in addition to blood testing technologies. These devices often cover the gap between consumer products and medical uses. A consumer use can be a way for a medical platform to gain revenue and market traction. In much the same way, an immediate need can result in rapid deployment and regulatory approval. For example, a wearable that can be used to track respiratory function for a variety of uses can be initially deployed to track emergencies in opioid overdose cases. Read More Brain stimulation devices continue to see rapid growth and implementation. Starting with device design, there is progress in consumer and at-home use. The same remote charging technologies seen in some defibrilators and other implants can now be used in brain implants. Furthermore, the same charging mechanism can be used to program the implant. This can be used to personalize and change treatment schemes in response to the latest brain data, ensuring that the best waveform (for example) is used depending on the situation. Read More Another example of a brain stimulation device, this time for treatment, shows how a new device can be used to improve motor function after a stroke. There is still very little direct treatments and even monitoring technologies to address this large and growing market. Better technology can ensure recovery after a stroke, which improves long-term outcomes in patients. Read More Finally, and continuing the topic of strokes, J&J and Apple are collaborating on a study to use the Apple Watch in a large 2 year study. We continuously see the crossover between consumer wearables and medical technology, and this will continue. Current wearables are common enough that additional functions can be added to them as platforms, with additional medical diagnoses possible. Therefore, what we are on the look for are technologies such as new sensors and algorithms that are at the right size, cost and manufacturability that can be integrated into these wearables. Read More What We’re Reading Schroders The Opportunity In Early Stage Venture Capital NfX What Makes Data Valuable: The Truth About Data Network Effects KOMO Seattle Scientists, Partners Closing In On Coronavirus Vaccine Bloomberg World’s Richest Lose $444 Billion After Hellish Week for Markets Connect With Zoic Capital |
| The Biweekly Dealflow Update, curated by the team at Zoic Capital. |