New hope for kidney patients: Chronic kidney disease affects 5-10% of the population in developed countries. Vascular and soft tissue calcification leading to cardiovascular disease remains the number one cause of death of renal patients worldwide and is therefore a major challenge for health-care systems.
CALCISCO develops and commercializes the first and only diagnostic blood test available to determine the calcification propensity in blood, which will help to better treat these patients and improve their survival. This offers exciting new opportunities for the early detection of patients with an elevated risk of calcification, and for the direction and monitoring of their treatment. The novel blood test already showed a direct correlation with all-cause mortality in a clinical study over six years in 180 patients with chronic kidney disease. The Bernese biotech startup, founded by Matthias Meier and Andreas Pasch, plans to offer the test at Inselspital Bern already by the end of this year for clinical use. “venture kick was extremely helpful and inspiring to make the very best of our business idea. This, along with the most welcome financial support, continuously motivated us to move on and bring our venture on the right way”, adds Matthias Meier.