Developing a Clear View of an Eyesore Device
CLIENT SITUATION
A private equity (PE) firm specializing in the healthcare sector was evaluating investing in a company developing a device with the potential to treat glaucoma patients. While the device has a highly specialized use, the analysts at the PE firm hypothesized it had the potential to deliver high returns. Over a period of three months, the analysts submitted several research projects to Guidepoint. The purpose of the initial projects was to obtain market overviews from leading ophthalmologists treating glaucoma. Subsequent projects were seeking more nuanced, detailed insights.
GUIDEPOINT SOLUTION
For each round of research requests, Guidepoint provided profiles of selected Guidepoint Advisors best suited to the PE firm’s needs and arranged initial phone consultations within a day or two of receiving the requests. In total, the PE firm completed more than a dozen calls on the topic, speaking to Guidepoint Advisors such as:
A partner and surgeon in a large Midwestern ophthalmology practice, who also serves as professor of ophthalmology at Minnesota State University and a clinical researcher
A director of a California eye center who is also an associate clinical professor at two large public universities that investigate new drug therapies
An ophthalmologist specializing in glaucoma and cataract treatment who is a past president of the American Glaucoma Society
A Florida-based comprehensive ophthalmologist and assistant clinical professor of ophthalmology who is an acknowledged quality improvement expert
A clinical professor of ophthalmology at a major Mid-Atlantic university who formerly served as editor-in-chief of a quarterly glaucoma journal and has authored more than 140 peer-reviewed publications
An ophthalmologist practicing “no stitch, small incision” cataract surgery, glaucoma, and oculoplastics
RESULTS
Based in part upon insights from analyst conversations with these Guidepoint Advisors, the private equity firm made the decision to lead a round of funding for the emerging medical device company.
