How Philly-area startup Aevumed harnesses 3D printing and AI to speed up joint healing

Engineer Saif Khalil has always loved making things. 

At Drexel University, he earned a master’s degree in materials engineering and a doctorate in mechanical engineering. Originally, he hadn’t planned on going that far, until an NSF-backed project on 3D printing for organ fabrication pulled him in. 

“It let me combine making physical things with helping people in healthcare,” he told Technical.ly. 

That work became his thesis and ultimately set the foundation for Aevumed, the medical device company he founded in 2019 after over two decades of working in the industry.

Based in Malvern, Aevumed draws from Greater Philadelphia’s pipeline of engineering, medical and manufacturing talent. With a growing national footprint, the startup has built a business model based on collaboration, with the goal of improving surgical outcomes for tendon and ligament repairs.

The problem: Tendon healing falls short

Orthopedics, Khalil realized, was the perfect focus for his medical device. It’s where biology meets mechanics: Tendons don’t always heal cleanly once they’re damaged. The rotator cuff — four shoulder muscles and their tendons that wrap around the upper arm bone — keeps the joint centered while you move. One of the biggest pain points is rotator cuff repair, where, according to Khalil, roughly 20% of patients may require a second surgery after an initial repair. 

One of Aevumed’s products that is currently available to surgeons is the Phantom-LP, an FDA-cleared knotless push-in anchor for tendon sutures that resembles a plastic screw.

“This is an anchor that allows the surgeon to adjust anything they want after they put the implant,” Khalil said. “They can readjust as many times as they want to, then give it a final lock so the repair looks beautiful.”

The ability to lock and unlock the implant as needed during surgery is something Khalil says hasn’t been done before, a feature they learned was needed through the company’s close collaboration with the surgeons who want to use the devices.

A collaborative model built in Malvern

Aevumed’s Malvern facility was designed to bring surgeons, engineers, machinists and technicians together. Inside, the company’s teams prototype products on site, test them in mock surgical labs and manufacture the products on site.

“It’s a really collaborative workspace,” Khalil said. “All under one roof.” 

The setup has drawn surgeons from across the country, including from Philadelphia’s top hospitals, to test new devices and contribute ideas.

Inside the technology: 3D printing meets AI

At the heart of Aevumed’s work is its use of 3D-printed collagen scaffolds that can be customized.

“3D printing really allows us to customize the implant for the anatomy, and it makes the geometry closer to what your body is really like,” Khalil said.

The company’s technology portfolio spans mechanical implants, biologically inspired scaffolds and software that uses AI in two key ways. First, an in-house AI engine scans medical literature and surgeon feedback to identify unmet needs, something Khalil calls a “patient-based, not trend-based” approach. Second, an AI-assisted surgical tool under development analyzes live arthroscopic video to help surgeons assess tissue health and suggest optimal repair methods.

“AI is not making the decisions,” Khalil said. “It’s helping us make better ones.”

Funding and growth in Greater Philadelphia

Like many startups, Aevumed began in Khalil’s garage with equipment he’d purchased himself. Early funding came from angel investors who believed in the company’s mission.

“They helped us with some of the seed money in the beginning,” Khalil said. “I give them a lot of credit.”

Soon after, Aevumed secured investment from Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania — a pivotal milestone that allowed the company to scale production and pursue multiple FDA clearances.

Today, Aevumed has four FDA-cleared products on the market, including its first product, Phantom Anchor. The company’s devices are now being used in hospitals in multiple markets in the US.

A pipeline of innovation, and a philosophy of process

Aevumed’s next goal is to have 10 market-ready orthopedic products by the end of next year, covering shoulder, elbow, foot and ankle repairs.

“Currently, what we have is four, and the last two we just started selling those the last couple of months,” he said.

But Khalil insists the company’s true differentiator isn’t just its technology — it’s the way it’s developed.

“We have a golden egg, which is our product,” Khalil said. “But what we really have is the golden eagle that knows how to keep on laying golden eggs. The real value is the process: the engineers, the technicians, the surgeons that share the same passion.”