Noninvasive Liver Cancer Treatment Now Available in Virginia; Transformational Milestone Reached in Evolution of Focused Ultrasound with $2.25B HistoSonics Acquisition

Virginians now have access to a new noninvasive liver cancer treatment. UVA Health in Charlottesville is the first hospital in the state to treat liver tumors with histotripsy, an incisionless technique using focused ultrasound to liquify target tissue without heat.

Histotripsy was invented by the late Charles A. Cain, PhD, Zhen Xu, PhD, and a team at the University of Michigan, with more than $30 million in funding from the US National Institutes of Health and organizations including the American Cancer Society, the Hartwell Foundation, and the Focused Ultrasound Foundation.

HistoSonics later commercialized the technology, developing the FDA-approved Edison Histotripsy system, now used at more than 50 U.S. medical centers for liver treatment. It is currently also in clinical trials for kidney, prostate, and pancreatic tumors.

The company also recently executed a majority stake acquisition valuing the company at $2.25 billion, signifying the most significant milestone to date in the evolution of focused ultrasound as a transformative treatment for a wide range of life-threatening and disabling conditions.

“The arrival of histotripsy in Virginia is a pivotal step forward for liver cancer care,” said Neal F. Kassell, MD, founder and chairman of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation. “HistoSonics represents the North Star—commercially validating the potential of focused ultrasound and paving the way for the success of every other stakeholder in the ecosystem.”

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