Startup Daily TV: A breakthrough test for heart disease is currently raising through equity crowdfunding

A Melbourne based startup is on the cusp of commercialising the world’s first early risk detection screening for heart disease, which will save millions of lives a year and could become a tipping point for treatment.

ESN Cleer has developed a simple saliva test in collaboration with a top team of scientists and engineers, for the early risk detection for developing heart failure imminently.

The medical startup has raised $2.5 million from investors so far, and is in the final stages of commercialising the product ahead of a global roll-out

The device is a low-cost, non-invasive saliva test that accurately detects early risk heart failure to an accuracy of 95%. The company is in talks with a few leading global pharmaceutical companies keen to help bring the product to market as soon as possible.

Heart failure is one of the largest causes of death, with one in eight deaths attributed to the disease and almost 50% of Heart Failure patients dying within 12 months of diagnosis. The economic cost exceeds $US100 billion annually, with 10 million deaths each year globally.

ESN Cleer CEO Leo de Bruin said you don’t know you have it until it’s too late.

“Once you are diagnosed, you have almost 50% chance of dying from it within 12 months of diagnosis. So many people around the world, myself included, have had a loved one yanked from their family from undetected heart disease,” he said

“ESN Cleer’s technology can detect such early risk of heart failure simply and allow lifestyle and drug treatments that can likely slow and even reverse the progression of heart disease failure and improve survival rates substantially.”

The company is aiming to start a clinical study in the next few months for its test-kit product seeking FDA, CE, and TGA approval by mid-2021.

ESN Cleer is currently raising funds via the equity crowdfunding platform Birchal.

The campaign closes this Thursday, November 5, and has met its minimum target, raising more than $120,000 towards a maximum of $500,000 in a pre-seed round on a $13.8 million valuation.

Details of the Birchal campaign are available here.

Leo de Bruin and company chairman, cardiologist, Professor Andrew Coats, joined us on the Startup Daily show on ausbiz.com.au to explain their plans.

You can watch the interview below:

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