High-Tech Gründerfonds invests in spin-off from Freie Universität Berlin and the Charité university hospital

Humedics markets an innovative method for instantaneous measurement of liver function at the patient’s bedside.  Known as the LiMAx Test, which was developed at the Charité University Hospital in Berlin by Dr Martin Stockmann and refined into a measurement system together with Prof. Karsten Heyne of Freie Universität Berlin, is now able for the first time to precisely measure liver function. High-Tech Gründerfonds has invested about EUR 500,000 in the newly formed Humedics company for it to commence development of production devices and the approval process.

The LiMAx Test measures the liver’s enzyme levels, which can be diminished if there is damage. A specially developed agent for the measurement is administered to the patient, which is then processed in the liver. The decomposition product is then measured on the exhaled air using an innovative, newly developed device (FLIP).  “The accuracy of the reading enables therapies to be better adapted to the individual patient,” explains Dr Martin Stockmann of the clinic for general, visceral and transplant surgery at the Campus Virchow Hospital. Diagnosis of liver disease has up to now caused problems in everyday clinical practice because the liver readings from the blood only show a change, but they do not accurately measure liver function. It could therefore happen, for example, that the laboratory readings were normal despite the onset of cirrhosis. The new test catches even these initial symptoms of illness.

This new, non-invasive FLIP/ LiMAx system makes it possible to improve the planning of surgical intervention involving the liver, to predict post-operative liver failure, to indentify cirrhosis of the liver and to monitor liver regeneration. The system is applied in liver surgery including liver transplant, the whole area of hepatology and intensive care.

Dr Bernd Goergen, Senior Investment Manager at High-Tech Gründerfonds, commented as follows on the investment decision: “The FLIP/LiMAx system, which has already been successfully tested on several thousand patients, will, with its rapid and early analysis of liver readings, make a crucial contribution to more accurate monitoring of treatment success and thereby exert major influence on the therapy algorithm. In addition, the team has already demonstrated its ability not only to develop innovative technology, but also to convince customers of it.”

Contact:
Humedics GmbH
Wilfried Heyne (CEO)
Wacholderweg 12
14979 Grossbeeren
Phone: +49 33 70190357
info@humedics.de
www.humedics.de

About the High-Tech Gründerfonds:
The High-Tech Gründerfonds invests risk capital in young, high-potential technology companies that convert promising research results in business success. By means of the seed financing of up to 500,000 EUR the start-ups shall carry on with the R & D project until the provision of a prototype or a “proof of concept“ or until the lancing on the market. The High-Tech Gründerfonds has a funds volume of about 272 million EUR. Investors of the Public Private Partnership are the German Federal Ministry for Economy and Technology, the KfW Banking Group and the six industrial company groups BASF, Deutsche Telekom, Siemens, Robert Bosch, Daimler, and Carl Zeiss.

Contact:
High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH
Dr. Bernd Georgen
Senior Investment Manager
Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2
53175 Bonn
Phone: +49 228 96568500
Fax: +49 228 96568550
info@high-tech-gruenderfonds.de
www.high-tech-gruenderfonds.de