Scoliosis, a condition characterized by an abnormal curvature of the spine, primarily affects children and adolescents during their growth spurts around ages 10-12. Left untreated, it can lead to severe complications, including worsening spinal deformity, chronic pain, and significant physical abnormalities such as uneven shoulders and a prominent rib hump. It can also cause respiratory and cardiovascular issues due to restricted lung and heart function. Worst of all, it can limit mobility and reduce sufferers’ overall quality of life.
Children diagnosed with scoliosis that doesn’t improve after wearing a brace have traditionally been treated with spinal fusion, which has significant limitations, particularly for young patients whose bodies are still developing. Fortunately, innovators at Auctus Surgical have developed an alternative solution for the over 1 million young scoliosis sufferers diagnosed in the United States each year.
Auctus Surgical offers a dynamic vertebral body tethering system that preserves spinal mobility and allows for non-surgical, dynamic adjustments over time. Unlike fusion surgeries, Auctus Surgical’s system uses adjustable magnetic implants that can be modified without additional surgeries. This innovative approach is particularly beneficial for pediatric patients because it accommodates their growing bodies and reduces the risk of complications often associated with spinal surgeries.
At the helm of Auctus Surgical is CEO and co-founder John Ashley. He is a seasoned entrepreneur with a storied career spanning three decades in the medical device industry. With two IPOs and six successful exits under his belt, Ashley’s track record speaks volumes about his entrepreneurial acumen and leadership. Throughout his career, he has held prominent leadership positions, including CEO roles, at several successful companies, including DurVena, CoAlign Interventions (which was acquired by Stryker), and Fox Hollow Technologies (which went public and was later acquired by EV3).
Ashley’s keen eye for innovation and drive for success played a pivotal role in the growth and success of those ventures, which collectively generated over $1.25 billion in returns for investors. Beyond his executive roles, John also shares his expertise as an advisor to various programs and institutions, including the Surgical Innovations program at UCSF and the Biomedical Engineering Department at the University of the Pacific. Additionally, he serves as a Venture Mentor with the MIT Northern CA Alumni and contributes to the Boards of LifeAir, HealthROM, and ROMTherapy corporations.
Auctus Surgical isn’t Ashley’s or the rest of the team’s first rodeo when it comes to spine innovations. “Our team, including co-founders Murali Kudaba and Damien Shulock, have quite a bit of ties to this industry, three of us all worked together as part of the management team of another spine startup that successfully developed a new product for adult spine surgery. It was sold to Stryker. On top of that, my first startup job was in developing a product for spine treatment that was very successful. It generated half the sales for the company, and the company successfully went public and was acquired from that. I ended up working on three other spine companies as a consultant, providing insights. That was all before working with this current management team in our previous company. ”
Ashley’s strong conviction to help young people with scoliosis came from a personal connection to a sufferer. “My close college friend’s second child had scoliosis. I got to see the impact that it had on her in terms of her physical activities and capabilities. She was a very active, healthy child who did dance and sports and didn’t have any limitations. After diagnosis she had to wear the brace for a year and a half, and it didn’t stop the progression. Eventually, she had to have the fusion surgery. And although she has fantastic posture from the two solid rods in her spine, she lost the ability to engage in the rigorous physical activities that she loved. I knew there had to be a better solution.”
The genesis of Auctus Surgical, voted 2020 Best New Spinal Technology, can be traced back to pivotal conversations with pediatric spine surgeons. Recognizing those limitations with the existing fusion-based approaches, the team embarked on a mission to find a better solution, one that gave children with scoliosis a chance at an active and unhindered quality of life.
“The real light bulb moment with this company came in the course of interviewing and asking for feedback from the pediatric spine surgeons who are treating these children every day, the ones who have decades of experience with this problem and with the treatments. They were very interested in motion preservation, and they pushed us to develop our current solution that combines motion preservation with adjustment.”
Drawing from their extensive network and experience in the adult spine surgery domain, Ashley and his team developed an implant that preserves spine motion but allows for adjustments without the need for additional surgeries. The non-surgical adjustments can be made in-office, minimizing complications and allowing children to maintain an active lifestyle.
“For my friend’s daughter, all other options were taken off the table. It was very sad and kind of disturbing to see that. I personally think that these children with this problem deserve to get a treatment where they continue to have the capabilities to live the same active lifestyle as their peers.”
As Ashley and Auctus Surgical continue to forge ahead in their mission, the promise of a brighter future for children with scoliosis can be seen on the horizon. With innovation, compassion, and the team’s unwavering determination, there is hope for the millions of children worldwide afflicted with scoliosis.
