Tau Medical

What Tau Medical does

Tau-Medical Inc. is a privately held Korean-American medical device company founded in 2014 by Dr. Junehong Kim, a former NIH Senior Research Fellow in Cardiovascular Intervention. Headquartered at Pusan National University Yangsan Campus in Yangsan, South Korea, with a U.S. business development and regulatory office in McLean, Virginia, the company researches and develops minimally invasive transcatheter therapies for structural heart disease, with a primary focus on tricuspid regurgitation (TR)—a condition for which fewer than 10,000 surgeries are performed annually in the U.S. and Europe despite a multi-million-patient addressable population with one-year mortality exceeding 30%.

The company's core platform is Pivot-TR, a flow-aligned, self-centering valve support system that uses an atraumatic non-fixated anchoring mechanism (an IVC spiral anchor and a pulmonary artery anchor) to position a nitinol mesh spacer across the tricuspid valve without sutures, clips, or tissue penetration. The platform is delivered transfemorally and is offered in two variants: Pivot Extend, a permanent implant with an adjustable saline-filled balloon spacer (12–20mm diameter) for definitive TR therapy, and Pivot Bridge, a temporary ePTFE-sheathed implant designed to stabilize high-risk or inoperable patients before definitive therapy. Tau Medical is also developing MTR Combo, a combined mitral-tricuspid therapy co-developed with Mayo Clinic, and the TIRA Device for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy. First-in-human clinical data across 15 of 19 screened patients at 11 South Korean sites have shown 50%+ average reductions in TR severity (vena contracta width and EROA), 8.1% average right-ventricular volume reduction, and a statistically significant NYHA Class improvement from 2.5 to 1.5.

Tau Medical is pre-revenue: all devices are limited to investigational use and are not commercially available, with revenue expected to come from future hardware sales of the Pivot-TR platform to hospitals and cardiac centers. The company has been backed by over $60 million in cumulative venture capital and government funding, with institutional investors Stassets Investment, Stonebridge Ventures, and Yuanta Investment represented on the board of directors. Distribution is currently conducted through clinical trial sites and compassionate use programs across South Korea, Australia, Canada, Japan, India, and Germany, supported by a medical affairs team engaging interventional cardiologists directly. Tau Medical is preparing for an IPO through stock options and a company-wide ESOP, signaling an intent to transition from clinical-stage development to commercial-stage operation.

Name

Tau Medical

Legal name

Tau-Medical Inc.

Website

https://tau-medical.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Tau Medical is a Korean-American privately held medical device company developing catheter-based transcatheter therapies for structural heart disease, primarily tricuspid regurgitation, through its investigational Pivot-TR platform (Pivot Extend permanent and Pivot Bridge temporary implants). It serves interventional cardiologists and high-risk surgical patients at clinical trial sites across South Korea, Australia, Canada, Japan, India, and Germany, and is preparing for IPO.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Structural Heart Medical Devices

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510), Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing (339112)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAHAFAB

Structural Heart Valves (TAVR/SAVR) & Valve Repair

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Medical Devices & Diagnostics/Cardiovascular Devices (Stents, Valves, Rhythm Management)

SECONDARYHLAHAFAL

Cardiac Assist & Heart Failure Therapies (Implantables, Neuromodulation)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Medical Devices & Diagnostics/Cardiovascular Devices (Stents, Valves, Rhythm Management)

SECONDARYHLAKABAD

Heart Failure & Transplant Cardiology

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Cardiology & Vascular Medicine

Keywords

• Structural heart devices
• Tricuspid regurgitation therapy
• Transcatheter valve implants
• Cardiac medical devices
• Minimally invasive cardiology

Headquarters

HQ city

Yangsan

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Medical Device Sales (Future): Once regulatory approvals are obtained, Tau Medical will generate revenue through the sale of its Pivot-TR platform devices (Pivot Extend and Pivot Bridge) to hospitals and cardiac centers. The devices are currently investigational and not commercially available.
2. Government and VC Funding: The company is backed by over $60 million in venture capital and government funding to support its R&D, clinical trials, and regulatory approval processes.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Tau Medical develops and clinically tests catheter-based transcatheter medical devices for treating structural heart diseases, primarily focused on tricuspid regurgitation. The company's flagship Pivot-TR platform includes a permanent implant (Pivot Extend) and a temporary implant (Pivot Bridge), both featuring flow-aligned, self-centering valve support spacers with atraumatic non-fixated anchoring delivered transfemoral. The products are currently investigational and not yet commercially available.

Product overview

Tau Medical offers a portfolio of catheter-based cardiovascular devices centered on the Pivot-TR platform. The platform comprises two distinct products: Pivot Extend® (a permanent, adjustable saline-filled balloon spacer for definitive long-term TR therapy) and Pivot Bridge® (a temporary ePTFE-sheathed spacer for pre-habilitation and stabilization of high-risk patients). Both utilize a non-fixated, self-centering design with atraumatic anchors in the IVC and pulmonary artery. The company is also developing MTR Combo, a combined therapy addressing both mitral and tricuspid regurgitation in a single procedure, and the TIRA device for hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Pivot-TR: Flow-aligned valve support platform for tricuspid regurgitation featuring non-fixated, self-centering spacer technology
• Pivot Extend
• Pivot Bridge
• MTR Combo

Products and services

• Pivot-TR Platform A flow-aligned valve support system for treating tricuspid regurgitation (TR), using a minimally invasive transcatheter approach with self-centering, atraumatic anchoring technology. The platform encompasses both permanent and temporary implant options for cardiac centers and interventional cardiologists.
• Pivot Extend A permanent transcatheter implant providing definitive therapy for secondary tricuspid regurgitation, featuring an adjustable saline-filled balloon spacer (12mm-20mm diameter) with nitinol mesh support, delivered via transfemoral approach and designed for long-term implantation in patients unsuitable for open-heart surgery.
• Pivot Bridge A temporary transcatheter implant designed to stabilize high-risk, frail, or inoperable patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation, featuring an ePTFE-sheathed nitinol mesh spacer with flow apertures, intended for retrieval after patient stabilization within approximately one week of implantation.
• MTR Combo An investigational minimally invasive therapy combining left-ventricular remodeling for proportionate functional mitral regurgitation with coaptation support for tricuspid regurgitation through a novel spacer system, designed for the biventricular patient population with dual-valve dysfunction in a single procedure.
• TIRA Device A transcatheter device for treating hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) via Trans-Coronary Sinus Intra-Septal Radiofrequency Ablation, developed as a first-in-human transcatheter approach to septal reduction therapy for cardiac patients.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50% average reduction in TR (vena contracta width)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Mayo CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTau Medical is collaborating with Mayo Clinic on the MTR Combo program for development of a transfemoral delivery system, expansion of intellectual property, and validation through First-in-Human/Early Feasibility Study. Clinical leadership includes Dr. Mayra Guerrero and Dr. Mohamad Alkhouli. Mayo Clinic has a financial interest in the referenced technology.
• Pusan National UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOngoing academic collaboration with Pusan National University and Pusan National University Yangsan Hospital. Founder Dr. Junehong Kim maintains dual appointments as Professor of Internal Medicine and Director of Internal Medicine. CMO Dr. Minku Chon is Associate Professor of Cardiology at PNU School of Medicine.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• TRiCares: European developer of a transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement system (Topaz), targeting the same high-risk severe TR population addressed by Pivot-TR.
• Innoventric: Israeli medical device company developing transcatheter solutions for tricuspid regurgitation with proprietary anchoring technologies overlapping the Pivot-TR design space.
• Cardiovalve (acquired by Venus MedTech): Transcatheter tricuspid and mitral valve replacement developer acquired by Venus MedTech, directly competing with Pivot-TR in the transcatheter TR treatment category.
• 4C Medical Technologies: Structural heart company developing transcatheter mitral and tricuspid therapies, addressing the same valve regurgitation patient population as Pivot-TR and MTR Combo.
• CroíValve: Early-stage developer of a transcatheter tricuspid coaptation device for severe TR, pursuing a similar spacer/coaptation-support strategy to Tau Medical's Pivot-TR.
• Cardiac Dimensions: Developer of the Carillon transcatheter tricuspid annuloplasty system, a direct competitor to Pivot-TR targeting functional tricuspid regurgitation via a minimally invasive transcatheter approach.

Regional players

• Venus MedTech: China-based transcatheter heart valve company developing tricuspid and mitral interventions, geographically distinct but addressing overlapping structural heart indications.

Broad incumbents

• Boston Scientific: Diversified cardiovascular device company active in transcatheter tricuspid and mitral repair spaces, competing with Pivot-TR for interventional cardiology hospital adoption.
• Edwards Lifesciences: Global structural heart leader with the PASCAL transcatheter tricuspid repair system directly competing in the same tricuspid regurgitation treatment category as Pivot-TR, alongside broader heart valve franchises.
• Abbott: Major structural heart incumbent with the TriClip transcatheter edge-to-edge tricuspid repair system, competing head-to-head with Pivot-TR in the minimally invasive TR treatment market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@taumedical
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tau-medical

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tau Medical