Stratus Medical Raises $10M to Expand RF-Based Treatments for Chronic & Vertebrogenic Pain

Chronic pain remains one of the most persistent and costly challenges in modern healthcare. Millions of patients live with long-term pain conditions that are often poorly managed through medication, physical therapy, or invasive surgical interventions. Among these conditions, low back pain stands out as a leading cause of disability worldwide, with limited durable treatment options for many patients. Against this backdrop, Stratus Medical has closed a $10 million Series B financing to accelerate the next phase of its radiofrequency-based pain treatment platform.

The funding round was led by Wasatch Health Partners and will support completion of development for the company’s RF Generator and neurovasis™ basivertebral nerve ablation technology, expansion of its intellectual property portfolio, and the launch of a clinical study focused on vertebrogenic low back pain. The announcement comes as radiofrequency-based interventions gain wider clinical acceptance as efficient, outpatient alternatives for chronic pain management. Rather than pursuing experimental therapies, Stratus Medical has focused on advancing proven RF technology with an emphasis on reproducibility, procedural efficiency, and scalable clinical adoption.

The Unmet Burden of Chronic and Vertebrogenic Pain

Chronic pain affects tens of millions of people globally and places a substantial burden on healthcare systems. Low back pain alone is estimated to impact more than five million people in the United States who suffer from vertebrogenic pain caused by damage to vertebral endplates, often due to progressive spinal degeneration.

Traditional treatment options for these patients typically include medication, physical therapy, or surgical procedures, each with limitations. Medications may provide only temporary relief and carry risks of dependency. Physical therapy requires sustained engagement and may not address underlying pain pathways. Surgical interventions, while effective for some patients, involve higher costs, longer recovery times, and increased risk. As clinicians search for treatments that balance effectiveness, safety, and accessibility, minimally invasive RF procedures have emerged as a promising middle ground.

Why Radiofrequency Technology Is Gaining Clinical Momentum?

Radiofrequency heat lesioning has become an increasingly important tool in pain management due to its ability to precisely target pain-conducting nerves while minimizing tissue disruption. By applying controlled RF energy, physicians can interrupt pain signals with accuracy and durability.

These procedures are typically performed in outpatient settings, require relatively short procedural times, and allow patients to return home the same day. As healthcare systems move toward cost-effective, office-based care models, RF technology aligns well with both clinical and operational priorities. Stratus Medical’s approach has been to refine this technology with a focus on consistency and scalability, enabling predictable outcomes across diverse clinical environments.

Nimbus and the Foundation of a Scalable RF Platform

At the center of Stratus Medical’s product portfolio is the Nimbus® RF Multitined Expandable Electrode. Designed to create large, optimally shaped RF lesions, Nimbus addresses a common challenge in RF procedures: achieving sufficient lesion size and consistency without extending procedure time or increasing complexity.

The Nimbus system, used in combination with an RF generator and probe, enables faster procedures, reproducible results, and durable pain relief. Typical Nimbus RF procedures take approximately 20 minutes and can be performed in physician offices, ambulatory surgery centers, or hospital outpatient departments. Patients may be treated while awake with local anesthesia or under sedation, depending on clinical preference.

Nimbus has been utilized in more than 300,000 patient treatments across the United States, Europe, Australia, and other international markets. The platform is FDA cleared as a Class II medical device and CE marked as Class IIb, reflecting a mature regulatory and clinical profile. The company’s intellectual property portfolio includes more than 40 issued patents, with additional patents pending, reinforcing its focus on defensible, long-term platform development.

Expanding Into Vertebrogenic Low Back Pain

While Nimbus has established a strong foothold in RF pain procedures, Stratus Medical’s latest funding supports expansion into vertebrogenic low back pain, a condition that has historically been under-recognized and under-treated. Vertebrogenic pain originates from the vertebral endplates and is associated with chronic degeneration of the spine. Basivertebral nerve ablation has emerged as a targeted approach to addressing this pain source, offering relief to patients who have not responded to conservative therapies.

Stratus Medical’s RF Generator and neurovasis™ BVNA technology are currently under development and have not yet been submitted to or evaluated by the FDA. The newly announced clinical study will play a critical role in evaluating safety, efficacy, and procedural outcomes as the company moves toward potential regulatory submission. By extending its RF platform into this area, Stratus Medical is targeting a significant unmet clinical need while remaining aligned with its core expertise in RF-based interventions.

Strategic Use of Series B Capital Stratus Medical

The $10 million Series B financing will be deployed across several strategic priorities. A portion of the funding will support completion of product development for the RF Generator and neurovasis™ technologies, ensuring readiness for clinical evaluation.

Additional capital will be directed toward expanding and protecting the company’s patent portfolio, a key asset as RF-based pain management continues to grow. Funding will also support the planned clinical study, which is expected to generate data critical for future regulatory and commercial milestones. Rather than pursuing rapid diversification, Stratus Medical is concentrating its resources on deepening clinical evidence and strengthening its core platform.

Implications for Pain Management and Healthcare Delivery

The growth of RF-based outpatient procedures reflects broader trends in healthcare delivery. Systems are increasingly prioritizing treatments that reduce reliance on long-term medication, shorten recovery times, and lower overall costs.

Office-based RF procedures offer physicians a tool that fits these goals while providing patients with minimally invasive options that can deliver durable relief. As healthcare providers seek alternatives to opioid-centric pain management and invasive surgery, technologies like Nimbus and emerging BVNA solutions may play an increasingly central role. Stratus Medical’s focus on procedural efficiency and reproducibility positions it well within this evolving landscape. 

RF Technology as a Long-Term Platform

Stratus Medical’s strategy suggests that RF technology is not a single-use solution, but a scalable platform capable of addressing multiple pain indications. By building on a proven clinical foundation and extending into new applications such as vertebrogenic pain, the company is working toward a broader, integrated approach to pain intervention.

As clinical evidence continues to accumulate and outpatient care models expand, RF-based technologies may become a standard component of chronic pain treatment pathways. Stratus Medical’s emphasis on innovation grounded in clinical practice places it at the intersection of medical device engineering and real-world healthcare delivery.

Stratus Medical represents a disciplined approach to medical innovation, focusing on refining and scaling clinically validated radiofrequency technology rather than chasing unproven treatments. As chronic and vertebrogenic pain continue to affect millions, minimally invasive RF procedures offer a pragmatic path forward for healthcare systems seeking effective, outpatient solutions. Stratus Medical’s expansion into vertebrogenic pain underscores how targeted engineering and clinical evidence can converge to address long-standing gaps in pain management.