Spanish MedTech scale-up Aortyx spins spider-inspired tech to mend torn aortas – raising €13.8 million

Aortyx, a Barcelona-based MedTech scale-up, has raised a €13.8 million Series A funding round to reach the milestone of first-in-human testing, bringing their product – a bioresorbable patch that treats aortic tears – closer to market.

The round is led by Ship2B Ventures, through BSocial Impact Fund (supported by Banco Sabadell, the EIF, and AXIS), and Clave Capital, through Clave Innohealth (supported by CDTI- Innvierte). They are joined by Nara Capital, the EIC fund, the CDTI, through its SICC Innvierte, and various angel investors.

“Aortic dissections kill more people than car crashes. What we hope to provide is an option that is effective, long-lasting, and respectful with the aorta to treat aortic dissection and other aortic diseases,” said Jordi Martorell, Co-founder and CEO of Aortyx.

Founded in 2018, the Aortyx team is developing a minimally invasive solution to what is called aortic dissection – a tear in the aortic wall. To do so, they have developed a steerable catheter that snakes through the aorta, and shoots out a circular patch that plugs the tear.

The founding team is made up of four PhD-holding Co-founders, CEO Jordi Martorell, CTO Noemí Balà, CSO Salvador Borrós, and CMO Vicenç Riambau.

They have also developed a bioresorbable patch, which is made out of a biodegradable material that also serves as scaffolding to encourage new tissue regrowth. The patch is manufactured using an electrospinning technique. This is the same technique used by spiders when they create their webs, and allows for creating a controlled, viscoelastic, and biocompatible material.

“We are backing Aortyx as it potentially represents a revolution in cardiovascular medicine. They are developing a solution that is not only disruptive and technically brilliant, but driven by a clear social purpose: to save lives where today there are barely any options. Led by an exceptional team and a bold vision, they have the potential to forever change how we treat aortic dissections,” added Jordi Ferrer, Investment Director at Ship2B Ventures.

According to Aortyx, more than 50,000 Europeans suffer from aortic dissections per year, and Aortyx aims at treating at least half of those with their first-generation product. The alternatives are suboptimal – either invasive open surgery, endovascular repair with stent grafts, or pharmacological treatment to reduce blood pressure. All three strategies incur high short-, mid-, and long-term mortality and morbidity rates that Aortyx aims to diminish with their minimally invasive approach.

The technology has reportedly been tested with successful outcomes in animals and cadavers. The funding round’s goal is to reach first-in-human testing within two years. The key users of this technology will be vascular and cardiothoracic surgeons.

“We are extremely excited to join Aortyx. A company born from a vision that will change the paradigm of how aortic dissections are addressed. The technology is the result of years of research at IQS and Hospital Clínic, which have been able to transfer this technology and advance the development of the product for patients with the ultimate goal of saving lives,” said Sergio San Agustín, Investment Director at Clave Capital and Board Member at Aortyx.

The post Spanish MedTech scale-up Aortyx spins spider-inspired tech to mend torn aortas – raising €13.8 million appeared first on EU-Startups.