Medical robotics company Clarapath gains certifications and expands global headquarters

Clarapath, a robotics company aimed at catalyzing change in the way pathology laboratories process human and animal tissues, has announced “significant company developments”.

Clarapath’s first robotic instrument, called SectionStar, will result in standardization in the quality of tissue sections for molecular mapping of human disease and in the development of new treatment pathways. Clarapath says that SectionStar has reached an important milestone – passing UL certification.

This step is critical to both the non-clinical and clinical deployment of the device, enhancing reliability and efficiency of the pathology lab.

Fueled by the company’s recent $32 million fund raise and to support continued growth and demand for the SectionStar system, Clarapath also announced that it is expanding its global headquarters space in Hawthorne, New York to include 30,000 more square feet allowing room for an expanded workforce, assembly, and manufacturing areas.

Passing rigorous, internationally recognized safety testing, Clarapath has received certification from UL, a global safety leader, in the following categories:

Electrical safety and performance standard IEC 61010. This includes electrical safety, mechanical safety, fire safety, and optical (laser/uv) safety.

Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) standard IEC 61326-1. This standard requires limited electromagnetic emissions from SectionStar as well as immunity from electromagnetic emissions from other devices.

Eric Feinstein, CEO of Clarapath, says: “The UL certification is a trusted and respected symbol of safety in electronics and is a critical next step in bringing SectionStar to market. This is a significant milestone that demonstrates the rigor that our engineering and robotics teams have put into the development and safety of SectionStar.”

Clarapath is adding new staff in the company’s software engineering and computer science departments. The company aims to hire at least 10-15 additional Westchester, NY-based employees in the next 12 months. Additionally, the company has added a number of new senior leaders and advisory members under the Clarapath ecosystem, including:

• Dr Aaron Ames, PhD, Bren Professor at Caltech, develops the underlying mathematics and algorithms for highly dynamic robotic systems with a view toward autonomy, with application to walking robots, robotic assistive devices, and safe autonomy. He will join the company as the Chief Engineering Fellow.
• Dr Manu Sebastian, DVM, PhD, Associate Professor, board-certified veterinary pathologist, Fellow, International Academy of Toxicologic Pathology, Diplomate, The American Board of Toxicology, and Director of Research Histology, Pathology, and Imaging Services core at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr Sebastian brings extensive experience in pharmaceutical and medical device efficacy studies, histology, and pathology laboratory practices, molecular pathology safety evaluation and regulatory approval to Clarapath.
• Dr Xavier Palazzi, DVM, ECVP board-certified veterinary pathologist and diplomate, American Board of Toxicology, VP and Head of Global Pathology from Pfizer, specializing in investigative pathology, neuroanatomy/pathology, immunology and medical devices, and will bring this expertise to the Clarapath team.
• Howard Sams, a senior executive who brings extensive experience in digital and computational pathology, artificial intelligence and healthcare technology from his global leadership roles at Siemens Healthineers, Roche, and Boston Scientific among others will join the Strategic Advisory Board.

Feinstein says: “With the talent of this Clarapath team and these new additions, and the support of our investors, we are confident that we can address the shortage in histotechnologists and provide consistent, uniform samples that labs need. The future is bright for SectionStar and the Clarapath team.”