UM-designed ultrasound treats enlarged prostate
Associated Press


This undated photo released by the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Mich., shows biomedical engineering professor Charles Cain in his lab. He and four other researchers at Michigan developed a non-surgical ultrasound treatment tool for prostate enlargement. They've launched a company to market it. (AP Photo/University of Michigan, Peter Smith)ANN ARBOR — Five University of Michigan inventors have lined up $11 million for a company that will make their ultrasound tool for treating prostate disease without surgery.

The university said Monday that HistoSonics Inc. will be based in Ann Arbor. The inventors are Charles Cain, Brian Fowlkes, Tim Hall, Zhen Xu and William Roberts.

The technology of the device is called histotripsy. It is a noninvasive procedure that uses tightly focused ultrasound pulses to destroy unwanted tissue.

Cain says the device will be used to treat benign prostate enlargement. It affects more than 2 million U.S. men, and about 400,000 undergo surgery each year.

The chief financier is Venture Investors of Ann Arbor and Madison, Wis.

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On the Net:

University of Michigan Office of Technology Transfer: http://www.techtransfer.umich.edu

HistoSonics Inc.: http://www.histosonics.com