Light Line Medical wins the Innovator’s Pitch Challenge and Looks Toward Their Series B Raise

Kari Haab Head of Operations Light Line Medical

Kevin Shifrin Vice President of Marketing Light Line Medical

Caitlin Dolegowski Marketing Manager Life Science Nation

Caitlin Dolegowski (CD): Please introduce us to Light Line Medical and the company’s technology.

Kari Haab (KH): Light Line Medical (LLM) was started by a team of University of Utah undergraduate students who participated in a bench-to-bedside competition to solve an unmet medical need. These students recognized that catheter-associated infections (CAIs) are a huge global health problem and are increasingly difficult to treat because of the growing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens (i.e., MRSA, ERSA, and CRE). To solve the problem, they investigated ultraviolet light as a possible solution but found it degrades catheter material and is unsafe for human tissue. In that research, they also found visible light has very similar pathogen-killing capabilities but was much safer. To deliver the lifesaving visible light within a catheter, the team developed an innovative fiber optic to deliver high-intensity light, successfully killing pathogens and preventing infections while doing no harm to the patient’s tissue and preserving the catheter’s structural integrity.  To protect the value of their ideas, the students also initiated a patent process that provided the initial basis for an IP portfolio that includes 30 issued patents with additional applications pending.

CD: Tell us about Light Line Medical’s team.

KH: Light Line Medical’s team has significant experience in catheter-related technology within the medical device industry. Each of the following leaders has successfully brought new products to market. Vicki is an IP attorney and the former founder/CEO of Catheter Connections (an infection control company acquired by Merit Medical). Vicki has over 40 years of pharmaceutical, MedTech, IP, and commercialization experience. Robert Hitchcock, Ph.D., is the Chief Technical Officer with over 35 years of medical device expertise (co-founder of Catheter Connections) and a professor of Bioengineering at the University of Utah. I (Kari Haab) am the Head of Operations and have over 15 years of experience in medical device operations and quality in start-ups and Becton Dickenson. Lastly, Kevin Shifrin is the Vice President of Marketing with over 25 years as a medical device executive (Hospira and C.R. Bard).

CD: Light Line Medical has been to RESI conferences before. How did you initially learn about the conference and what works for you attending RESI?

Kevin Shifrin (KS): RESI provides a dynamic and focused environment for start-up leaders to engage with investors, service providers, and suppliers. We learned about RESI from our discussions with other start-ups and our networking efforts on the east coast. The primary reason we returned in 2023 is because we saw it as a good opportunity to engage with new potential investors.

CD: What stage of fundraising is Light Line Medical in and what are your goals in 2024?

KS: We are currently in Series A with a target of $7M with only about $875k available left for additional investors, which will be followed by a $30M Series B. Series B funds will be used to drive the commercialization effort of our first product targeted for Peritoneal Dialysis and fund the product Development and Clinical trials for our urological foley catheter product.

CD: Congratulations on your first-place win in RESI Boston September Innovator’s Pitch Challenge (IPC)! What do you think was the key to your success at RESI September?

KH: Thanks for the opportunity to provide an overview of Light Line Medical (LLM).  I think that LLM’s mission of using visible light to solve the world’s greatest cause of morbidity and the largest source of avoidable medical costs today was a key factor in the win. The LLM technology addresses a substantial “unmet need”.  The positive feedback we received at RESI highlighted key points about the current reimbursement strategy, the extensive IP coverage, and our key partnerships with Mayo Clinic and Medline industries — all of these are additional positive elements of the Light Line story.

CD: What advice would you like to give to fellow entrepreneurs about RESI conferences?

KS: Our advice is to ensure you start scheduling your investor meetings early and sign up for the presentation. While the poster is a great way to provide key highlights, most of the visits to our poster were driven by the pitch I gave to the panel of judges.