The Danish medtech company Optheras has raised DKK 38 million in its first major funding round. The capital will finance the company’s first clinical trial of its laser-based technology for removing superficial bladder tumours without the need for hospitalisation or general anaesthesia.
Founded in 2022 and based in Birkerød, Optheras is developing a system designed to make bladder cancer procedures faster, safer, and less invasive. Traditional methods often require patients to undergo surgery under full anaesthesia, a process repeated thousands of times each year in Denmark alone. Optheras’ laser approach aims to treat larger tissue areas more efficiently and with less discomfort, while preserving healthy tissue.
The technology has been developed in collaboration with clinicians from Herlev and Gentofte Hospital’s urology department. With the funding secured, Optheras will initiate its first human trial at Herlev Hospital, enrolling around 15–20 patients. The study will focus on demonstrating the safety and functionality of the company’s core technology, building on a preclinical programme that has already compared the method with conventional treatments.
Optheras estimates that its solution could replace up to half of the 6,000–8,000 conventional bladder procedures performed annually in Denmark, addressing a global market opportunity valued in the billions of dollars.