hemotune AG

hemotune AG is developing a proprietary magnetic nanoparticle technology, the HemoSystem, to allow more selective, efficient, and milder removal of disease-related compounds in patients’ blood.

Sepsis is the most severe form of an infection in which the body's own defense reaction damages the body’s tissue and organs, leading to a life-threatening situation. The World Health Organization estimates that around 50 million people worldwide are affected by sepsis every year, causing 11 million deaths, or 20% of all global deaths.

The HemoSystem consists of three components: the HemoDevice, a dialysis-machine-like device that performs the treatment; the HemoDisposable, a disposable set containing all tubing and plastic parts that come into direct contact with the blood; and the HemoSorbent, a mixture of magnetic beads – so-called HemoBeads – that are directed against multiple disease-related compounds.

While traditional blood-purification devices use non-specific dialysis filters or adsorber cartridges, the HemoSystem is based on a mixture of nanostructured magnetic beads that contain a magnetic core and specific binding agents that allow them to interact only with selected targets. During treatment, a magnetic filter efficiently removes beads and bound targets before the blood is returned to the patient. This direct application of a mixture of different beads is unique in that it allows for the simultaneous removal of multiple disease-related compounds, which would not be achievable using drugs.

During the tenure at Wyss Zurich, the team advanced the technology and defined the regulatory strategy for magnetic blood purification as a medical device.