ARC Medical

What ARC Medical does

ARC Medical Inc. is a clinical-stage, privately held medical device company headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, that develops liquid surgical adhesion barrier devices intended to prevent post-surgical adhesions in orthopedic, gynecologic, obstetric, and abdominal procedures. The company's core technology is a patented high molecular weight polymer extracted from seaweed, chemically modified and ultrapurified, which is applied as a liquid at the end of arthroscopy, laparoscopy, or open surgery. Once applied, the liquid flows throughout the surgical cavity and forms a temporary physical barrier film that mechanically separates tissues and prevents or reduces adhesions across the entire surgical site, in contrast to film or gel products that only cover local areas.

The lead products are JOCOAT (formerly ARCJOINT) for orthopedic surgeries covering knee, shoulder, ankle, and hip joints, and IPCOAT (formerly Discrete) for gynecologic, obstetric, and abdominal surgeries. Pipeline products TENCOAT and VERCOAT extend the same liquid-barrier platform into tendon and spine surgery indications. ARC holds seven patent families protecting its products across 35 countries through 2039 and beyond, is ISO 13485:2016 certified, and has passed more than a dozen ISO 10993 biocompatibility tests. Clinical milestones to date include completion of the Phase 1 GLAD-01 safety trial in 76 healthy volunteers for IPCOAT, successful deployment of JOCOAT in 20 orthopedic patients with encouraging range-of-motion results, initiation of the GLAD-04 pivotal trial in knee ACL repair surgery, and first gynecologic deployment of IPCOAT in an endometriosis procedure with the GLAD-02 pivotal trial in startup.

ARC Medical is pre-revenue and pursues a dual go-to-market model combining direct medical device sales with licensing and royalty agreements with strategic distribution partners, including an active partnership negotiation for Japan where over 1 million relevant surgeries are performed annually. Commercialization in select non-US territories is targeted for H2 2027 following pivotal trial readouts, with topline pivotal data expected in Q3 2026. The company has raised over USD 30 million historically and added USD 3 million in November 2024 to fund ongoing trials and partnership discussions.

Name

ARC Medical

Legal name

ARC Medical Inc.

Website

https://arcmedicaldevices.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ARC Medical is a clinical-stage medical device company that develops liquid surgical adhesion barrier devices using a patented seaweed-derived polymer, serving orthopedic, gynecologic, obstetric, and abdominal surgery patients through direct sales and licensing partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Surgical Adhesion Prevention Medical Devices

NAICS

Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing (339113), Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing (3391)

SIC

Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842)

akta.pro primary industry

Surgical Stapling, Suturing & Hemostasis (Staplers, Clips, Sealants, Tourniquets) (HLAHADAL)

Keywords

• Surgical adhesion prevention
• Medical device development
• Orthopedic surgery devices
• Gynecologic surgery devices
• Adhesion barrier products

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Medical Device Sales: Pre-revenue clinical stage company. Once regulatory approvals are obtained, the company plans to commercialize JOCOAT and IPCOAT liquid surgical adhesion barrier medical devices through strategic partnerships and direct sales.
2. Licensing Royalties: The company is pursuing licensing agreements with strategic partners, including an ongoing Japanese partnership discussion, to commercialize products in international markets in exchange for licensing fees and ongoing royalties.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

ARC Medical develops and manufactures liquid surgical adhesion barrier medical devices that mechanically prevent post-surgical adhesions. The lead products, JOCOAT (orthopedic surgeries including knee, shoulder, ankle, hip) and IPCOAT (gynecologic, obstetric and abdominal surgeries), are liquid formulations based on a patented high molecular weight polymer extracted from seaweed that flow throughout the entire surgical cavity and form a temporary physical barrier film coating all tissues. Pipeline products TENCOAT (tendon) and VERCOAT (spine) are also under development.

Product overview

ARC Medical develops a portfolio of liquid biopolysaccharide surgical adhesion barrier medical devices. The lead products are IPCOAT™ for gynecologic, obstetric and abdominal surgeries and JOCOAT™ for orthopedic surgeries (knee, shoulder, ankle, hip). Both are applied as liquids that flow throughout the surgical site and form a temporary physical barrier film to prevent adhesions. Earlier-stage pipeline products include TENCOAT™ for tendon surgeries and VERCOAT™ for spine surgeries. The company operates at clinical stage with products undergoing pivotal trials for regulatory approval.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• JOCOAT: Liquid surgical adhesion barrier device for orthopedic surgeries including knee, shoulder, ankle and hip joints. Formerly called ARCJOINT™.
• IPCOAT
• VERCOAT
• TENCOAT

Products and services

• JOCOAT Liquid surgical adhesion barrier medical device for orthopedic surgeries including knee, shoulder, ankle and hip joints. Easily and rapidly applied into the joint at the end of orthopedic surgery in arthroscopy and open procedures. Flows throughout the joint and provides a temporary, physical barrier that mechanically separates tissues and prevents or reduces surgical adhesions throughout the entire joint. Formerly called ARCJOINT.
• IPCOAT Liquid surgical adhesion barrier medical device for gynecologic, obstetric and abdominal surgeries. Easily and rapidly applied into the abdominopelvic cavity at the end of surgery in laparoscopic and open procedures. Forms a temporary, physical barrier that mechanically separates tissues and prevents or reduces surgical adhesions throughout the entire cavity. Less than 250 mL provides complete intraperitoneal coverage. Formerly called Discrete.
• TENCOAT Liquid surgical adhesion barrier medical device under development for use in tendon surgeries.
• VERCOAT Liquid surgical adhesion barrier medical device under development for use in spine surgeries.

Quantifiable outcome

• Knee revision patients improved range of motion from 95 to 135 degrees (+40 degrees) within 6 weeks
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Japanese Partner (Undisclosed)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerARC Medical is in ongoing discussions toward a Japanese partnership agreement for commercialization of JOCOAT and IPCOAT products in Japan, where over 1 million patients undergo relevant surgeries annually.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Baxter International: Markets Seprafilm, the leading hyaluronic acid-carboxymethylcellulose surgical adhesion barrier film for gynecologic and abdominal surgery. Directly competes with IPCOAT in the same clinical use case and surgeon customer base, and sets the standard ARC must beat on workflow, cost, and outcomes.
• Ethicon (Johnson & Johnson MedTech): Sells INTERCEED (oxidized regenerated cellulose) adhesion barrier, a long-established gynecologic/pelvic adhesion prevention product. Directly competes with IPCOAT in the same surgical setting and brings the scale, hospital contracts, and surgeon relationships of Johnson & Johnson.
• FzioMed: Developer of Oxiplex/AP, a polyethylene oxide-carboxymethylcellulose gel adhesion barrier used in gynecologic and spine surgery. Closely comparable to ARC as a focused, single-mechanism adhesion barrier company pursuing similar laparoscopic and orthopedic indications.
• Innocoll Biotherapeutics: Developed collagen-based surgical adhesion barrier products (e.g., CollaGUARD). Competes head-to-head with ARC in biopolymer-based adhesion prevention and serves the same surgeon and hospital channels.
• MAST Biosurgery: Specializes in surgical adhesion prevention products such as Adcon-T/N for spine and tendon surgery. Comparable as a focused adhesion barrier player with products targeting orthopedic-adjacent indications that overlap with ARC's TENCOAT and VERCOAT pipeline.

Emerging players

• Anika Therapeutics: Orthopedic and regenerative medicine company with a viscosupplementation franchise (e.g., Monovisc, Cingal) sold into the same orthopedic surgery channel ARC's JOCOAT targets. Comparable as an orthopedic-focused medtech commercializing injectable, joint-targeted therapies into the same surgical accounts.

Broad incumbents

• Integra LifeSciences: Diversified neurosurgery, orthopedic, and regenerative tissue portfolio that includes dural repair and surgical barrier products overlapping with VERCOAT's spine indication. Comparable as a broad incumbent with established neurosurgery and orthopedic sales channels ARC would need to access.
• Medtronic: One of the largest surgical and spine device companies with products in spine, abdominal, and orthopedic surgery. Comparable as a broad incumbent with the hospital relationships, sales force, and capital to bundle adhesion prevention into larger surgical contracts if ARC's product is validated.
• Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD): Major surgical and medical device manufacturer with extensive presence in operating rooms and gynecology. Comparable as a broad incumbent that could leverage its surgical channel to distribute or compete with adhesion prevention products in IPCOAT's target procedures.

Others

• Angiotech Pharmaceuticals (historical): Former Vancouver-based medical device and biomaterials company where multiple ARC executives (including the CEO and VP Preclinical) previously led development of the Taxus drug-eluting stent. Comparable as an enabling peer and historical ecosystem reference point for ARC's leadership and biopolymer R&D heritage, though the company itself is no longer an operating adhesion barrier competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 ARC Medical