The system delivers coagulation test results in under 10 minutes, compared to 30-60 minutes for current platforms.
Abram Scientific closed an $11.75 million Series A funding round led by pharmaceutical company Octapharma AG to accelerate development of its portable coagulation diagnostic platform, CoagCare.
The Menlo Park, California-based medical device company will use the funding to advance the CoagCare system toward clinical milestones and US Food and Drug Administration 510(k) clearance. Additional investors affiliated with University of Colorado Anschutz also participated in the round.
The CoagCare system is designed as a point-of-care meter that uses single-use diagnostic test cards to measure blood viscoelasticity and density. The platform characterizes the entire blood coagulation cascade from clot formation to fibrinolysis in under 10 minutes using a single drop of blood.
Current coagulation diagnostic platforms like thromboelastography and thromboelastometry typically require 30 to 60 minutes for complete measurement including fibrinolysis, according to the company.
Targeting Critical Care and Trauma Applications
The portable, vibration-insensitive design positions CoagCare for use in remote or pre-hospital settings such as MEDEVAC helicopters and ambulances where laboratory-grade conditions aren’t available.
“Our mission is to enable CoagCare to help adjudicate life-saving therapies and transfusions, so that the right therapy is provided to the patient at the right time and at the right dosage,” says Abhishek Ramkumar, CEO and founder of Abram Scientific, in a release.
The platform aims to aid evaluation of blood clotting disorders and assist in determining appropriate transfusions and therapy for patients undergoing trauma and surgical procedures.
Strategic Partnership with Octapharma
The investment marks Octapharma’s first major investment in the diagnostics sector. The global pharmaceutical company focuses on critical care therapies and coagulation management products.
“Abram’s CoagCare can empower clinicians to deliver goal-oriented therapy with greater accuracy, ensuring the right intervention, at the right time, in the right amount,” says Flemming Nielsen, president of Octapharma USA Inc, in a release.
Vik Bebarta, MD, endowed chair in emergency medicine at University of Colorado Anschutz and founding director of The Center for COMBAT Research, noted the clinical need the platform addresses.
“Uncontrolled hemorrhage remains one of the leading—and most preventable—causes of early trauma death,” says Bebarta in a release. “We are excited to partner with Abram Scientific to develop CoagCare to give surgeons and emergency physicians the critical information they need sooner to guide life-saving therapy decisions.”
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