Anaconda Biomed, emerged from the Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) ecosystem, has recently closed a $56 million (€48.9 million) funding round to continue the clinical development of its technology for stroke treatment. The round was led by Omega Funds and also included existing investors such as Asabys, through Sabadell Asabys I, Ysios Capital and the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology and Innovation (CDTI), through SICC Innvierte. The Spanish government-backed Co-Investment Fund (FOCO), managed by COFIDES, has also joined the round.

Ischaemic stroke is a medical emergency in which every minute counts, as a lack of blood flow can cause brain tissue to die and lead to lasting disability. One treatment option is mechanical thrombectomy, a procedure that uses a catheter inserted through the blood vessels to reach and remove the clot.

The technology developed by Anaconda Biomed aims to facilitate this procedure. Its device, which has a funnel-like structure, is positioned at the site of the clot to facilitate its capture and removal. It also allows blood flow in that area to be temporarily halted during the procedure, with the aim of preventing fragments of the clot from moving into smaller blood vessels and travelling to other regions of the brain. “This technology aims to make the removal of the clot causing the stroke safer and more effective. By facilitating clot capture and preventing fragments from travelling to other vessels in the brain, it may help restore blood flow more quickly and completely and, consequently, preserve more brain tissue. The ultimate goal is to improve patients’ recovery after a stroke and reduce long-term disability,” explains Dr. Marc Ribó, an interventional neurologist at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and principal investigator of Stroke Research Group at VHIR.

To date, preliminary studies with this device have shown an increase in the rate of complete recanalisation compared with conventional devices. The ongoing study aims to confirm these preliminary results.

An international clinical study

The new funding will primarily make it possible to complete a clinical study currently underway in Europe and the United States, which is expected to include 327 patients, as well as to continue advancing the development of new devices.

The clinical study, which includes patients from Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, is expected to be completed in 2027. The company then aims to begin marketing its technology in Europe and the United States.

Beyond the development of its current device, Anaconda Biomed is working to expand the application of its technology to other procedures related to cerebrovascular diseases. The new funding round will therefore help further develop a technology platform with the potential to address a range of needs in the field of neurointervention.

From research to technology for patients

Anaconda Biomed was founded in 2015 by Dr. Marc Ribó, an interventional neurologist at Vall d’Hebron University Hospital and principal investigator of Stroke Research Group at VHIR, and Dr. Ofir Arad, a PhD in organic chemistry and the company’s current chief executive officer. Since then, the company has raised close to €100 million.

The creation of the company made it possible to translate a technology developed in a research setting into a business venture focused on clinical development and future use in patients. Since then, Anaconda Biomed has made progress in developing and validating its technology and now operates a manufacturing facility in Sant Quirze del Vallès, where it prepares the devices used in its clinical studies.