Affluent Medical announces the acquisition of Caranx Medical
Affluent Medical announces the upcoming acquisition of the Nice-based startup specialized in robotic assistance for cardiac procedures. Caranx Medical will be combined with Artedrone within a new integrated MedTech entity named Carvolix.
A world first authorized by the FDA
In July 2025, TAVIPILOT Soft became the world’s first AI software authorized by the FDA for real-time intraoperative guidance of transcatheter heart valve implantation. This landmark authorization positions Caranx Medical as a pioneer in its field.
Birth of Carvolix, a new French champion in cardiovascular MedTech
Caranx Medical, Artedrone, and Affluent Medical will merge within Carvolix, a new entity dedicated to AI- and robotics-driven cardiovascular therapies. The total addressable market is estimated at $23 billion by 2030.
On December 19, 2025, Affluent Medical announced the upcoming acquisition of the Nice-based startup specialized in robotic assistance for cardiac procedures. Caranx Medical will be combined with Artedrone within a new integrated MedTech entity named Carvolix. Completion is scheduled for January 30, 2026.
A breakthrough technology born in Nice
Backed by a top-tier expert team and an experienced management, Caranx Medical is a French MedTech company founded and funded by Truffle Capital, a European leader in biotechnology and medical devices and a founding investor in Abivax.
The company was founded by Dr Philippe Pouletty, CEO of Truffle Capital, and co-founded by Dr Éric Sejor, physician and chief medical officer, and Pierre Berthet-Rayne, PhD and chief technology officer.
Caranx Medical will be acquired by Affluent Medical for €16.6 million. Binding agreements were signed on December 18, 2025, and the shareholders’ general meeting scheduled for January 30, 2026 is expected to approve the transaction.
The transaction will give rise to Carvolix, a new entity bringing together Affluent Medical, Caranx Medical, and Artedrone, with the ambition of becoming a pioneer in cardiovascular therapies combining innovative implants and AI-driven autonomous mini-robots.
Caranx Medical employs 22 people at its R&D center in Nice and aims to become a global leader in AI- and robotics-assisted transcatheter heart valve implantation. The company plans to progressively commercialize its products across all key markets.
Two complementary innovations under the TAVIPILOT brand
Caranx Medical has developed two products designed to operate together.
TAVIPILOT Soft: a world first authorized by the FDA
In July 2025, Caranx Medical obtained a landmark authorization: TAVIPILOT Soft became the world’s first AI software authorized by the FDA for real-time intraoperative guidance of transcatheter heart valve implantation.
The software provides real-time tracking of anatomical and instrumental landmarks during the procedure, enabling cardiologists to benefit from intelligent assistance at every critical step. Its commercialization in the United States is planned for early 2026.
In November 2025, TAVIPILOT Soft was used clinically on patients for the first time, confirming its potential under real-world conditions.
The TAVIPILOT robot: toward supervised autonomy
The TAVIPILOT robot is a compact, autonomous device enabling precise and reproducible valve positioning. When combined with TAVIPILOT Soft, it will be able to operate autonomously under clinician supervision.
This technological combination represents a major advance for transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI), a procedure currently reserved for the most experienced cardiologists. The objective is to broaden access to these life-saving procedures, while only 17% of the 1.7 million patients eligible for TAVI currently receive the treatment.
Strong funding and promising outlook
Since its creation, Caranx Medical has raised more than €23.5 million. The company also secured €4.6 million in funding in February 2025 under the France 2030 plan, as part of the Medical Imaging Innovation call for projects.
Clinical milestones already achieved
In December 2025, Caranx Medical announced the first clinical use of its TAVIPILOT robot on patients at Macquarie University Hospital in Sydney, Australia, as well as the successful completion of the SAITO-1B clinical study for its software.
Artedrone, the other acquisition by Affluent Medical
In addition to Caranx Medical, Affluent Medical plans to acquire Artedrone, a Paris-based company developing an autonomous microrobotic solution for ischemic stroke treatment, for €11.4 million.
The total market targeted by Carvolix is estimated at $23 billion by 2030.
Source: Affluent Medical press release, December 19, 2025
