Removing endotoxins during sepsis: a blood purification platform using magnetic nanoparticles

Project Information

MagnoBeads

Grant agreement ID: 835216

DOI

10.3030/835216

Project closed

EC signature date 20 November 2018

Start date 1 December 2018

End date 31 May 2019

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

HEMOTUNE AG
Switzerland

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MagnoBeads (Removing endotoxins during sepsis: a blood purification platform using magnetic nanoparticles)

Reporting period: 2018-12-01 to 2019-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Sepsis is a dysregulated immune response to infection and affects 19 million people each year. With a mortality rate of >30% for septic shock it is the most common cause of death in intensive care units. Currently, no effective cure for sepsis exits, and treatment focuses on infection control (antimicrobial agents) and supportive care (fluid resuscitation, vasopressors, ventilators and hemodialysis). Therefore, a huge societal need and market opportunity exist for curative sepsis treatments.

hemotune Ltd is a spin-off company of ETH Zurich, founded to commercialize blood purification technology for the treatment of septic shock. Hemotune is developing a blood filtration device that removes toxic particles from the blood, by employing magnetic nanoparticles that selectively bind toxic molecules and then removing them from the blood by a magnetic filter (see figure). This technology was successfully tested in small-scale animal models.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

In the MagnoBeads project, the technical and commercial feasibility of the technology were extensively evaluated. Insights were obtained regarding prototype upscaling, usability to a human scale, regulatory barriers, IP strategy and the go-to-market strategy. Based on the feasibility study, it was concluded that hemotune’s technology is both technically and commercially feasible. Moreover, technical and commercial risks were identified for which mitigation measures can now be incorporated in the business strategy.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

As a result of the MagnoBeads project, the hemotune business plan significantly matured. Based on the feasibility studies, the company has the instruments to attract further funding to finance further development to bring its technology towards the clinic. Ultimately, hemotune's technology has the potential to improve prospects for annually >300k patients suffering from septic shock in the seven main markets.