Sanara Ventures
£16.9 million is being invested by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries and Philips in a joint venture that supports medical device and health technology start-ups in Israel over the next eight years.
Called Sanara Ventures, it has already invested in two companies: Kaleidoscope Medical, which developed a system for X-ray radiation shielding during catheterisation procedures; and MGD, which is creating a portable device for measuring lung function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Sanara chief executive Assaf Barnea said it had made another two investments that could not yet be disclosed and that two or three more were expected by the end of the year.
Frans Van Houten, chief executive officer of Dutch firm Philips, said: "We see Sanara Ventures as a strategic way for Philips to tap into new developments in the health technology industry."
Erez Vigodman, his counterpart at Israel's Teva, said the healthcare industry was being transformed as consumers devote more time and money to staying healthy, rather then just waiting to treat an illness. He said: "That is driving the space. It means we can't confine our business model to finding a new chemical entity. We need branded and generic drugs, medical devices and diagnostic capabilities."