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Duke Capital Partners Leads Investment in Reselute

Reselute logo on top, Duke Capital Partners logo below

May 18, 2023 8:00AM Eastern Time

DURHAM, N.C. — Reselute, a medical device start-up company, today announced that it has closed a seed financing round led by Duke Capital Partners, the early-stage venture investment arm of Duke University. This investment was made as part of Duke Capital Partners’ new Catalyst Program, which was established to support early-stage Duke-affiliated companies.

Reselute, which was co-founded by Duke graduates Cambre Kelly and Jake Donovan, and Pratt School of Engineering Professor Ken Gall, is developing new approaches to deliver antibiotics locally to sites of orthopedic infection.

Infections after trauma or surgery are common. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, surgical site infections are the #1 leading cause for readmissions following surgical procedures – and about 3% of those readmitted die as a result.

Started in 2021 with technology developed in the Gall lab and licensed from Duke University, Reselute is moving quickly to develop innovative solutions to help combat these infections, initially targeting treatment of infections following traumatic injuries.

“We are eager to develop better tools where our technology provides improved solutions for surgeons to treat pressing clinical problems related to orthopedic infections,” says Cambre Kelly, a Ph.D. graduate from Gall’s lab and Chief Executive Officer of Reselute. After interviewing more than one hundred surgeons, Kelly and the team have narrowed in on their unmet need and are in early stages of product development.

Kelly has worked with Gall before, retaining a role as Chief Technology Officer at another Duke affiliated spinout and Duke Capital Partners portfolio company, restor3d. The co-founding team at Reselute is rounded out by Jake Donovan, a Pratt School of Engineering Master’s graduate and former Product Development Engineer with Duke’s FastTrack Medical Device Translator.

The Duke University Office for Translation & Commercialization has supported the licensing activities of Reselute, on the way to getting their seed financing round led by Duke Capital Partners.

“Watching up-and-coming entrepreneurs like Cambre grow under the tutelage of pioneering engineers like Ken makes us proud to be part of the Duke entrepreneurial community,” said Robin Rasor, Associate VP for Translation & Commercialization.

“We’ve bet on Ken’s companies and technologies before, and we’re eager to do it again – especially with the exciting technology and team in Cambre and Jake that is assembling at Reselute,” said Kurt Schmidt, Managing Director of Duke Capital Partners. “Given the strong start of this early-stage Duke start-up, Reselute was an obvious choice for our newly established Catalyst Program.”

Upon closing of this round of financing, Duke Capital Partners member and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neil Roth will join the Reselute Board as an Observer. The funding will be used to further R&D and product development efforts, as well as increase staffing – including bringing on Fioleda Kesseli as Chief Technology Officer. Kesseli formerly served in executive roles at both Duke University and Professor Matthew Becker‘s spinout Viamer Biosciences.

About Reselute

Reselute is developing solutions for treatment of orthopedic related infections to accelerate treatment and improve patient care, using innovative technologies based on years of academic research. Learn more at: https://www.reselutemedical.com/

About Duke Capital Partners

Duke Capital Partners is the early-stage venture investment arm of Duke University. Duke Capital Partners leverages the power of the global Duke community to invest in and support entrepreneurs, to educate and empower students, and to engage and activate its members’ contributions to the University’s innovation ecosystem. Learn more at: dukecapitalpartners.duke.edu

Contact

Kurt Schmidt
Managing Director, Duke Capital Partners
kurt.schmidt@duke.edu