Axithra Company Profile

Background

Company Overview

Axithra, established in 2023, is a Belgian health technology company specializing in rapid and accurate therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) at the point of need. Originating as a spin-off from the Photonics Research Group at Ghent University and the Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (imec), Axithra leverages advanced optics and photonics technologies to enhance patient care through personalized treatment strategies.

Mission and Vision

Axithra's mission is to revolutionize TDM by providing healthcare professionals with rapid, clinically actionable results tailored to individual patients. This approach aims to ensure drug effectiveness, prevent adverse reactions, improve patient outcomes, and promote cost-effective healthcare solutions.

Key Strategic Focus

Core Objectives

• Personalized Medicine: Developing technologies that enable real-time monitoring of drug concentrations to facilitate individualized dosing regimens.

• Point-of-Care Solutions: Creating user-friendly devices that integrate seamlessly into clinical workflows, allowing for immediate therapeutic adjustments.

Areas of Specialization

• Beta-Lactam Antibiotics Monitoring: Focusing on the intensive care unit (ICU) setting to optimize antibiotic dosing, thereby reducing mortality rates and healthcare costs.

• Expansion into Oncology and Antifungal Treatments: Planning to extend TDM applications to oncology drugs and antifungal agents to address broader clinical needs.

Key Technologies Utilized

• Raman-on-Chip Spectroscopy: Employing proprietary Raman spectroscopy integrated on a chip to detect and quantify the active, free fraction of drugs in blood samples rapidly and accurately.

• Photonics-Based Detection: Utilizing photonic sensors to identify molecular fingerprints of compounds, ensuring precise measurements without the need for sample pre-treatment.

Financials and Funding

Funding History

• Seed Round: In September 2023, Axithra secured a seed funding round of approximately $10.9 million (€10 million).

Notable Investors

• Hamamatsu Photonics: A corporation specializing in photonic technologies.

• imec.xpand: A venture capital fund associated with imec, focusing on deep-tech startups.

• Kurma Partners: A venture capital firm investing in life sciences and healthcare innovations.

• Noshaq: An investment fund supporting regional economic development.

• Qbic Fund: A seed and early-stage venture capital fund investing in technology startups.

Utilization of Capital

The raised capital is allocated towards:

• Product Development: Advancing the Raman-on-chip spectroscopy platform from proof-of-concept to a market-ready medical device.

• Clinical Validation: Conducting trials to demonstrate the efficacy and reliability of the TDM platform in real-world clinical settings.

• Market Expansion: Extending applications beyond beta-lactam antibiotics to include other critical drug classes.

Pipeline Development

Lead Application

• Beta-Lactam Antibiotics TDM: Targeting ICU patients to ensure optimal dosing, thereby reducing the incidence of inadequate drug concentrations and associated complications.

Future Applications

• Oncology Drugs: Developing TDM solutions for chemotherapy agents to enhance treatment efficacy and minimize toxicity.

• Antifungal Agents: Creating monitoring tools for antifungal medications to improve therapeutic outcomes.

Anticipated Milestones

• Product Development Phase: Focusing on transforming the proof-of-concept into a point-of-care medical device over the initial years.

• Clinical Validation: Planning to conduct clinical trials to validate the platform's effectiveness and safety.

• Regulatory Approvals: Aiming to secure necessary certifications for market entry.

• Market Launch: Preparing for the commercial release of the TDM platform, initially targeting ICU applications.

Technological Platform and Innovation

Proprietary Technologies

• Raman-on-Chip Spectroscopy: A miniaturized Raman spectroscopy system integrated onto a chip, enabling rapid and accurate detection of drug concentrations without the need for labels or detector molecules.

Significant Scientific Methods

• Photonics-Based Detection: Utilizing photonic sensors to identify molecular fingerprints, allowing for precise quantification of the active, free fraction of drugs in blood samples.

Leadership Team

• Leander Van Neste, Ph.D.: Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer.

• Jonathan Salmon: Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer.

• Haolan Zhao: Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer.

• Nuria Teigell Beneitez: Co-Founder and System Architect.

Competitor Profile

Market Insights and Dynamics

The TDM market is experiencing growth due to the increasing emphasis on personalized medicine and the need for precise drug dosing to improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs.

Competitor Analysis

• ProciseDx: Develops rapid diagnostic tests for point-of-care settings, focusing on therapeutic drug monitoring.

• PrecisePK: Offers software solutions for therapeutic drug monitoring, aiding in dose optimization and patient management.