Profile: Cutera, Inc. (CUTR.O)

Cutera, Inc. is a global medical device company specializing in the design, development, manufacture, marketing and servicing of laser and other light-based aesthetics systems for practitioners globally. The Company offer products based on three platforms: CoolGlide, Xeo and Solera. CoolGlide offers laser applications for hair removal, treatment of a range of vascular lesions, including leg and facial veins, and Laser Genesis a skin rejuvenation procedure that reduces fine lines, reduces pore size and improves skin texture. The Xeo is a platform on which a customer can use application that offer to remove unwanted hair, treat vascular lesions and rejuvenate the skin by treating discoloration, improving texture, reducing pore size, and treating fine lines and laxity. The Solera systems use either infrared (Solera Titan) or pulsed light (Solera Opus) and can be used to remove unwanted hair, treat vascular lesions and rejuvenate the skin.

Control Console

The control console includes a universal graphic user interface, control system software and high voltage electronics. All CoolGlide systems, and some models of the Xeo platform, include the laser module, which consists of electronics, a visible aiming beam, a focusing lens, and an Nd:YAG and/or flashlamp laser that functions at wavelengths that permit penetration over a range of depths and is effective across all skin types. The interface allows the practitioner to set the appropriate laser or flashlamp parameters for each procedure through a format. The control system software ensures that the operator’s instructions are properly communicated from the graphic user interface to the other components within the system. The high voltage electronics produce over 10,000 watts of peak laser energy, which permits therapeutic effects at short pulse durations.

The Solera console platform comes in two configurations: Opus and Titan both of which include a universal graphic user interface, control system software and high voltage electronics. The Solera Opus console is designed to drive the flashlamp hand pieces while the Solera Titan console is designed to drive the Titan hand pieces. The control system software is designed to ensure that the operator’s instructions are properly communicated from the graphical user interface to the other components within the system and includes real-time calibration to control the output energy as the pulse is delivered during the treatment.

Hand Pieces

The 1064 nanometer Nd:YAG hand piece delivers laser energy to the treatment area for hair removal, leg and facial vein treatment, and skin rejuvenation procedures to treat skin texture and fine lines, and reduce pore size. The 1064nm Nd:YAG hand piece consists of an energy-delivery component, consisting of an optical fiber and lens, and a copper cooling plate with imbedded temperature monitoring. The hand piece weighs approximately 14 ounces, which is light enough to be held with one hand. The lightweight nature and ergonomic design of the hand piece allows the operation of the device without user fatigue. Its design allows the practitioner an unobstructed view of the treatment area, which reduces the possibility of unintended damage to the skin and can increase the speed of treatment. The 1064 nanometer Nd:YAG hand piece also incorporates the cooling system, providing integrated pre- and post cooling of the treatment area, through a temperature-controlled copper plate to protect the outer layer of the skin. The hand piece is available in either a fixed 10 millimeter spot size for the CoolGlide CV system, or a user-controlled variable 3, 5, 7 or 10 millimeter spot size for the CoolGlide Excel and CoolGlide Vantage systems.

The LP560, ProWave 770, AcuTip 500 and LimeLight hand pieces are designed to produce a pulse of light over a wavelength spectrum to treat discoloration, including pigmented lesions, such as age and sun spots, hair removal and superficial facial vessels. The hand pieces each consist of a custom flashlamp, wavelength filter, closed-loop power control and embedded temperature monitor, and weigh approximately 13 ounces. The filter in the AcuTip 500 eliminates long and short wavelengths, transmitting only the therapeutic range required for safe and effective treatment. The filter in the LP560, ProWave 770 and LimeLight eliminates short wavelengths, allowing longer wavelengths to be transmitted to the treatment area. In addition, the wavelength spectrum of the ProWave 770 and the LimeLight can be shifted based on the setting of the control console. The power control includes a monitoring system to ensure that the desired energy level is delivered. The hand pieces protect the epidermis by regulating the temperature of the hand piece window through the embedded temperature monitor. These hand pieces are available on the Xeo and Solera platforms.

The Titan hand pieces are designed to produce a sustained pulse of light over a wavelength spectrum tailored to provide heating in the dermis to treat skin laxity. The hand piece consists of a custom light source, wavelength filter, closed-loop power control, sapphire cooling window and embedded temperature monitor, and weighs approximately three pounds. The temperature of the epidermis is controlled by using a sapphire window to provide cooling before, during and after the delivery of energy to the treatment site. The Company offer two different Titan hand pieces: Titan V and Titan XL.

Titan V has a treatment tip that extends beyond the hand piece housing to provide enhanced visibility of the skin’s surface to effectively treat delicate areas such as the skin around the eyes and nose. Titan XL, like the Titan V, has a treatment tip that extends beyond the housing for improved visibility. It also has a larger treatment spot size to treat larger body areas faster, such as the arms, abdomen and legs. The Titan hand pieces can be used on the Xeo and Solera platforms. The Titan hand piece requires a periodic refilling process, which includes the replacement of the optical source, after a set number of pulses have been used.

The Pearl hand piece is designed to treat fine lines, uneven texture and dyschromia through the application of proprietary YSGG laser technology. This hand piece can safely remove a small portion of the epidermis, while coagulating the remaining epidermis, leading to new collagen growth. The Pearl hand piece consists of a custom monolithic laser source, scanner and power monitoring electronics. The scanner includes multiple scan patterns to allow simple and fast treatments of the face. The hand piece includes an attachment for a smoke evacuator, allowing the practitioner to use one hand during treatment.

The Pearl Fractional hand piece uses the YSGG technology and is designed to treat wrinkles and deep dermal imperfections. This hand piece penetrates the deep dermis producing a series of microcolumns across the skin, which can result in the removal of damaged tissue and the production of new collagen. The Pearl Fractional hand piece consists of a custom monolithic laser source, scanner and power monitoring electronics. The scanner includes multiple scan patterns to allow simple and fast treatments of the face. The hand piece includes an attachment for a smoke evacuator, allowing the practitioner to use one hand during treatment.

The Company competes with Candela, Cynosure, Elen, Iridex, Palomar, Solta, Syneron, Alma, Aesthera, Lumenis and Sciton.