Enzyre Raises €12M to Advance At-home Blood-clotting Test for Hem A
New device would monitor clotting status, helping patients stop or prevent bleeds
Enzyre has raised €12 million (over $12 million) to speed the development of EnzyPad, a device that could one day allow people with hemophilia A to monitor their blood-clotting status in real time from anywhere, including their home.
“We are delighted to have closed this successful financing round which validates our technology and will underpin our ongoing development as we take Enzyre forward into the next phase of growth,” Guido Maertens, CEO at Enzyre, said in a press release.
The financing round was led by Oost NL, with participation from other new and existing investors.
“We are excited to be working with Enzyre in developing a truly innovative technology that is a potential game changer in the management of Hemophilia A and other bleeding disorders,” said Pieter Rhemrev, senior investment manager at Oost NL and the syndicate’s lead investor.
Hemophilia occurs when the body does not make enough of certain clotting factors that make the blood clot. This means that people with hemophilia bleed more often and for longer than usual. The type of hemophilia depends on the specific clotting factor that is missing. In hemophilia A, this clotting factor is a protein called factor VIII.
Checking the blood’s ability to clot on a regular basis would enable patients and their doctors to take quick action to prevent or stop bleeds.
Just as glucose (blood sugar) meters enable people with diabetes to monitor their blood-sugar levels, Enzyre’s EnzyPad aims to help people with hemophilia self-test their blood coagulation status on a small blood drop at home while potentially staying connected with their care team by telemedicine.
Some history of the device
The company’s first product, the Hemophilia EnzyCard, is a testing card that can measure the levels of up to 12 blood-clotting biomarkers. It is equipped with all the reagents needed to perform up to 16 reactions on a single blood sample.
The EnzyCard is meant to be used in combination with TAP, a device for blood sampling, and a processor that can read the test results and send them to a patient’s care team through a mobile app called Enzy and a cloud-based application. According to the company, the EnzyPad is about the size of a small tablet, making it portable.
This is expected to allow for timely, tailor-made adjustments to medication while avoiding unnecessary travel and hospital visits.
“Patient outcomes and quality of life will be dramatically improved by the ability of physicians to monitor coagulation status in real-time and we see great potential for the product to enhance personalized care,” Rhemrev said.
Raised funds will enable Enzyre to further develop its technology, support clinical trial registrations, establish a sustainable manufacturing line, and invest in expanding the technology to the critical care setting.
EnzyPad is a result of a collaboration established in late 2019 between Enzyre and Takeda.
“We value Takeda’s continued support and welcome the commitment from a strong cohort of new and existing investors. Together we look forward to improving the quality of life for patients living with bleeding disorders by driving forward our goal to transform their standard of care,” Maertens said.
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