Innovationsstarter Fonds Hamburg and High-Tech Gründerfonds are investing together in KSK Diagnostics GmbH

Development of molecular point-of-care diagnostic tests

26-Apr-2017 - Germany

KSK diagnostics GmbH uses its isothermal amplification technology, KDx rITA®, for the development of molecular point-of-care tests to identify pathogens and antimicrobial resistance within 30 minutes. This significantly reduces the time before therapy is started. A financing round has now been completed with Innovationsstarter Fonds Hamburg and High-Tech Gründerfonds in order to accelerate the development of the product and its subsequent market launch.

Every year in Germany, roughly 10,000–15,000 of the more than 500,000 patients who contract an infection while in hospital end up dying as a result. (source: the Federal Ministry of Health). It is often only when complications arise that targeted measures to protect the patient can be introduced. This is because the results of conventional tests are only available after several hours, sometimes even days. KSK Diagnostics GmbH’s point-of-care tests are now revolutionising the treatment of patients and can be conducted directly in emergency wards. This enables the doctor providing treatment to make a diagnosis after 30 minutes and promptly coordinate the patient’s treatment. In addition to the diagnosis of pathogens, KSK Diagnostics’ point-of-care tests are ideally suited to quickly and reliably clarifying issues related to tumour diagnostics.

Dr. Stefan Kulick, managing director of KSK Diagnostics GmbH: “Our technology drastically accelerates the diagnosis process with improved sensitivity, specificity and robustness. It can also be used whenever quick answers are required for providing the best-possible treatment for patients.”

Innovationsstarter Fonds Hamburg and High-Tech Gründerfonds are investing together in KSK Diagnostics GmbH to accelerate product development and market entry.

“We were impressed by the smart approach of the planned KSK products and the high level of customer benefit they offer. We are delighted to be able to support the experienced team in building and expanding the company,” Dörte Bunge, Investment Manager at Innovationsstarter Fonds Hamburg, says with respect to their investment in KSK.

“The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique has reached its limits in terms of speed and automation capacity. In the age of companion diagnostics and customised diagnostics, there is now a need for technologies that deliver a result quickly and are highly suited to automation. And it is on this point that we were impressed by KSK Diagnostics’ technology,” adds Dr. Frank Hensel, Senior Investment Manager at High-Tech Gründerfonds.

“The market is there, but it isn’t being served with the right tests. This is a good starting point for KSK Diagnostics to establish an innovative product in the field of infection diagnostics,” Dr. Thomas Frahm, head of project management at Life Science Nord, says of his support for the investment project.

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Diagnostics is at the heart of modern medicine and forms a crucial interface between research and patient care in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. It not only enables early detection and monitoring of disease, but also plays a central role in individualized medicine by enabling targeted therapies based on an individual's genetic and molecular signature.

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Topic world Diagnostics

Diagnostics is at the heart of modern medicine and forms a crucial interface between research and patient care in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries. It not only enables early detection and monitoring of disease, but also plays a central role in individualized medicine by enabling targeted therapies based on an individual's genetic and molecular signature.

1 whitepaper