Vienna-based aTENSION.life, a high-tech life science startup, announced its launch to transform hypertension treatment, utilising its proprietary ALDO+ technology platform.
In addition to the launch, the Austrian company also secured $3M (approximately €2.6M) in a seed round led by Wlanholding, with eQventure and VP Venture Partners also participating.
“Every hypertension patient deserves an early and precise diagnosis leading to a targeted treatment. This funding brings us one step closer to making clinical mass spectrometry diagnostics available to everyone”, states Werner Lanthaler, CEO of Wlanholding and Chairman of aTENSION.life.
aTENSION.life: Transforming hypertension treatment
Led by Bernhard Klemen, aTENSION.life is developing and commercialising precision diagnostics for 1.3B people with hypertension.
“With about 1.3B adults affected by hypertension and 720M not receiving the treatment they need, we address a vast and urgent market,” says Klemen.
According to the company, hypertension often remains undetected, and secondary forms like primary aldosteronism (PA) frequently remain undiagnosed due to low screening rates of only 1-2 per cent.
Current testing methods using traditional ELISA-based assays suffer from variability and drug interference, forcing clinicians into a trial-and-error approach.
This delays blood pressure control, leads to inappropriate medication, and increases the risk of cardiovascular complications such as stroke and heart failure.
Makes mass spectrometry diagnostics accessible
The Austrian company has launched ALDO+PA, the first product from its ALDO+ technology platform.
This CE-IVD-certified test is compatible with medical guidelines and uses mass spectrometry to screen patients with uncontrolled hypertension for primary aldosteronism. It aims to ensure early and accurate diagnosis.
The company’s proprietary ALDO+ technology makes mass spectrometry-based diagnostics accessible to everyone.
aTENSION.life screens for potential underlying causes of uncontrolled hypertension in one blood test, enabling targeted therapies.
“Our ALDO+PA test is addressing a huge unmet clinical need. 5-10 per cent of all hypertensive patients suffer from primary aldosteronism, which is underdiagnosed due to limited diagnostic tools and thus inadequately treated”, explains Marko Poglitsch, CSO, Co-founder, and inventor of the underlying technology.
The first test resulting from the platform, ALDO+PA, is available in Austria through a partnership with labors.at.
This test aims to detect primary aldosteronism in patients with uncontrolled hypertension.
Besides the accurate screening result for primary aldosteronism, the test provides further insights into anti-hypertensive drug efficacy and specific renal functions.
The company is planning to launch its ALDO+ technology across DACH markets by 2026, with the first customers already successfully implementing the technology in Germany, Switzerland, as well as in the US.
As part of aTENSION.life’s mission to expand accessibility, an ALDO+ laboratory network for labs with and without LC-MS/MS access is being established, with additional partner laboratories expected to join soon.
“This expansion will ensure more patients across the region can benefit from early and precise hypertension diagnostics. Interested labs can contact us for more information on our attractive partnership model”, explains Katharina Wieser, CBO of aTENSION.life.
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