US-based blood filtering technology producer ExThera Medical closed a $15.3m series B round yesterday that was led by medical device maker Fresenius Medical Care’s investment unit Fresenius Medical Care Ventures.
The round included the conversion of notes. Other investors have not been named.
ExThera is working on a device named Seraph Microbind Affinity Blood Filter, a technology that is able to remove a wide range of bacteria, viruses, toxins and pro-inflammaroty cytokines, a type of small proteins, from the blood stream.
ExThera hopes the technology could also be adapted to treat drug-resistant bacteria, commonly referred to as superbugs, and to purify donations to blood banks.
The device is currently enrolling patients for a first clinical trial in Germany. The funding will enable ExThera to conduct clinical trials in Europe and the US, seek regulatory approval and scale manufacturing.
ExThera previously secured $12m in series A capital in 2012 and $7m in debt financing in 2014, according to regulatory filings.
Florian Jehle, managing director of Fresenius Medical Care Ventures, said: “The mission of Fresenius Medical Care Ventures is to invest in early-stage companies that develop products, technologies and therapies, which could have a significant value for the patient and for health care systems.
“We believe that ExThera has the team and technology that fits perfectly into our investment portfolio.”
Fresenius Medical Care Ventures was established last year. Its investment in ExThera marks one of the division’s first investments.