# J&J Innovation Backs Francis Medical's Vanquish Push Toward Prostate Cancer Indication

> Johnson & Johnson's investment arm is backing Francis Medical as the company prepares a PMA submission for Vanquish in localized prostate cancer.

- Published: 2026-11-11T17:30:11+00:00
- Section: Funding
- Author: News Desk
- URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-11-11/francis-medical-jjdc-vanquish-funding
- Source: [Medical Device Network](https://www.medicaldevice-network.com/news/jj-funds-francis-medical-to-seek-cancer-indication-for-vanquish-device/)

## Key takeaways

- Johnson & Johnson's investment arm JJDC is backing Francis Medical to support a planned PMA submission for Vanquish in localized prostate cancer.
- Six-month biopsy data on 110 of 235 VAPOR 2 patients showed elimination of targeted intermediate-risk disease in 91% after a single Vanquish procedure.
- Francis Medical closed an $80 million Series C in January 2025 co-led by Arboretum Ventures and Solas BioVentures.

[Johnson](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00033dv/johnson-johnson-services-inc) & Johnson's investment arm JJDC is backing Francis Medical to support regulatory work on its Vanquish water vapour ablation system for prostate cancer, funding the company through a planned Premarket Approval submission to the US Food and Drug Administration. [Medical Device Network](https://www.medicaldevice-network.com/news/jj-funds-francis-medical-to-seek-cancer-indication-for-vanquish-device/) reported the strategic agreement on November 11, 2026.

## Inside the JJDC Agreement With Francis Medical

Minnesota-based [Francis Medical](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00021cl/francis-medical) already holds FDA clearance for Vanquish for thermal ablation of targeted prostate tissue, granted in November 2025. The system is designed to limit impact on surrounding structures tied to urinary and sexual function. The company said the investment gives it sufficient capital to reach its planned PMA submission for managing clinically localised prostate cancer.

Francis is running the VAPOR 2 study (NCT05683691), which evaluates Vanquish in patients with Gleason Grade Group 2 localised intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Six-month biopsy data on 110 of the 235 patients in the trial showed elimination of targeted MRI-visible intermediate-risk disease in 91% of patients after a single Vanquish procedure.

JJDC's financing will also support scaling commercial infrastructure, expanding market access initiatives and strengthening physician training and education programmes. Mike Kujak, Francis Medical's president and CEO, said: "This is a pivotal moment in Francis Medical's evolution as we prepare to transition from a limited commercial launch to a broader US market presence." Kujak added that the company remains "passionately committed to advancing the clinical evidence and regulatory milestones required to pursue an indication for the management of prostate cancer."

## Francis Medical's Funding History

According to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data), Francis Medical has raised $157 million in total funding across four rounds and reached Series C stage with its last round on January 7, 2025. The $80 million Series C was co-led by Arboretum Ventures and Solas BioVentures, with Orlando Health Ventures, Coloplast A/S and Tonkawa participating. Coloplast completed a $4 million equity investment in September 2020 and took part in the Series B and Series C rounds.

| Round | Date | Amount | Lead investors |
|---|---|---|---|
| Series A | December 2018 | $18 million | Arboretum Ventures |
| Corporate-funded | September 2020 | $4 million | Coloplast |
| Series B | September 2021 | $55 million | Solas BioVentures |
| Series C | January 2025 | $80 million | Arboretum Ventures, Solas BioVentures |

The same records list the VAPOR 2 pivotal study as a prospective, multicenter, single-arm trial of 235 patients with intermediate-risk localized prostate cancer, with enrollment completed in February 2025 ahead of schedule.

## Vanquish's US Commercial Rollout

Francis Medical announced in June 2026 the publication of initial VAPOR 2 results in The Journal of Urology, covering 110 patients with intermediate-risk, localized prostate cancer across 26 US clinical sites, PR Newswire reported. In July 2026, Dr. Daniel Su at Orange County Urology Associates performed California's first commercial Vanquish procedures, according to PR Newswire. The outlet also reported in August 2026 that Samir S. Taneja, MD, performed New York's first commercial Vanquish procedure at Northwell Health in Lake Success on an outpatient basis.

## Companies in this story

- [Francis Medical company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00021cl/francis-medical) · website: http://www.francismedical.com
- [Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00033dv/johnson-johnson-services-inc) · website: https://www.jnj.com

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