Cytovale Bags $15M for Sepsis-Detecting Tech

Cytovale today announced a $15 million financing for its sepsis-detecting technology for use in the emergency department.

The medical technology company uses machine learning and cell mechanics to change diagnostics and detect conditions earlier. Its diagnostic is designed to measure immune cell activity associated with dysregulated host response in sepsis in less than 10 minutes.

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that can quickly and suddenly overwhelm the body and result in septic shock and death, Ajay Shah, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of Cytovale, said. But early detection could lead to timely and accurate triage in the emergency department. Early treatment is critical to survive.

“Cytovale’s team is well-positioned to deliver on the promise of its technology to provide doctors with critical information that can reduce the global health burdens of sepsis,” said Lindy Fishburne, managing partner at Breakout Ventures, an existing investor that co-led the $7.4 million extension of Series B funding.

Sepsis is a leading cause of death in U.S. hospitals and current approaches make is difficult for providers to diagnose a patient early in their journey. This leads to a depletion of emergency department resources and delayed care to those who need it most.

Cytovale will use the funds to conduct clinical studies to get the technology cleared for regulatory use.

Technology can play a big role in detecting sepsis early, which is why other players in healthcare have also focused on this area.

Last month, Geisinger and IBM created a machine-learning model to detect sepsis and make a challenging diagnosis potentially easier.

“If we can identify patients more quickly and more accurately, we can administer the right treatments early and increase the chances of a positive outcome,” said Donna Wolk, Ph.D., director of the molecular and microbial diagnostics and development division at Geisinger.

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