Firm raises £1.2m for ‘on the spot’ stroke test
A Coventry biotech business has raised £1.2m for a new hand-held device that allows paramedics and emergency doctors to quickly diagnose patients who are having a stroke.
Sarissa Biomedical has secured funds from a consortium of investors including the MEIF Proof of Concept & Early Stage Fund, which is managed by Mercia and part of the Midlands Engine Investment Fund, Mercia’s EIS funds, and private investors including Wren Capital and the Wood Family.
Sarissa’s new system will be the first of its type for stroke patients and could help improve the prognosis for victims by allowing doctors to diagnose and treat them more quickly.
The SMARTChip device can be used on location or at the patient’s bedside and gives results in around five minutes. It contains a disposable biosensor chip which analyses a fingerprick sample of blood and measures the level of purines – chemicals released into the bloodstream within minutes of a stroke.
The funds will allow Sarissa to carry out a clinical study with the NHS and Newcastle University Stroke Research Group, and invest in product manufacture. Established in 2002 as a spin-out from Warwick University, Sarissa produces biosensors for the medical and academic research market.
Stroke is the fourth most common cause of death in the UK and a major cause of adult disability, with stroke care accounting for around five per cent of the entire NHS budget. While effective treatments are available, they need to be used promptly after an attack but currently there is no fast and reliable way to tell if a patient has had a stroke. Patients are assessed on their symptoms and then sent for a CT or MRI scan to confirm the diagnosis. The SMARTChip system also has potential for use in diagnosing other conditions such as heart attacks, peripheral artery disease and foetal hypoxia or ‘blue baby syndrome’.
Dr John Clarkson, CEO of Sarissa, said: ”This investment is a strong signal of support from Mercia and our other investors and will enable us to begin the clinical evaluation process. We are pleased to say that, despite the current lockdown, we are able to press on with the clinical trials as planned with the aim of bringing this important new test to market as soon as possible.”
Dr Jo Slota-Newson of Mercia said: “This new tool from Sarissa represents a major step forward in reducing the huge toll of disability caused by stroke and relieving the burden on the NHS. Ultimately it could help millions more people by providing a fast and reliable way to diagnose other conditions such as heart attack, enabling patients to benefit from more prompt and effective treatment.”
