Unmet Clinical Need.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is the most used tool to diagnose, monitor, and prevent pathologies. More than 50% of MRI scans (100k / year in the world) require Contrast Agents (CAs), generating a global turnover of € 2B. Despite large use of CAs, medical images have poor contrast and clinicians are forced to inject high dosage of CAs into patients, causing deposition in the body and acute side effects. As a consequence, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) [FDA Safety Announcement on 12-19-2017] alerted medical community about the toxicity and European Medicine Agency (EMA) suspended marketing authorizations for 4 out of 9 commercial CAs [EMA/625317/2017].
Product and Solution.
Kyme NanoImaging Srl came up with a novel formulation to definitively replace existing CAs for MRI, by combining FDA-approved biomaterials with clinical contrast agents through a patented nanotechnology platform. The platform is based on microfluidics, which allows a scalable, controllable, and continuous production at a low cost. Kyme NanoImaging Srl formulation has 12-fold higher sensitivity and improved safety compared to commercial contrast agents. The products are manufactured prototypes successfully tested in small animals.
IP status and Assets.
| 4 exclusive patent licences:
· Italian patent n. IT 102017000020707 (granted on August 23, 2018) · European patent n. EP 18708491.8 (granted on January 01, 2020) · US patent n. US 16/487896 (granted on December 19, 2019) · Italian patent n. IT 102015000078895 (granted on June 01, 2017) 2 patent pending applications |
| 1 product in pre-clinical validation |
| 1 semi-automated production system |
| > 10 scientific publications in the nanomedicine field [De Sarno (2019).Theranostics;9(6):1809-1824; Torino (2018).Nanomed-Nanotechnol;14(2):483-491; Vecchione (2017).Sci Rep;7:45121; Russo (2016).Sci Rep;6:3790; and others…] |
| – 2 strategical partnerships
– ongoing collaborations with: hospitals, incubator, universities, research and diagnostic centers |
Business Model.
Most patents owned by big players are expired and the market is open to innovative solutions. Kyme NanoImaging Srl will adopt a B2B strategy, licensing out to market players to improve existing products and renew expired patents.
Funding round details:
- Funding Needs: € 2M
- Past investments: € 330k
Exit Strategy: potential exit via an M&A valued at +60M€ in 5 years