Sedivention receives a hefty 2.9 million euros for fat

The MedTech startup Sedivention has closed a seed financing round of 2.9 million euros. The round was led by bmp Ventures with the IBG funds. Other investors include High-Tech Gründerfonds, Cambridge Ventures, superangels and the investment arm of an international medtech company.

The company intends to use the capital to further develop its minimally invasive therapy for the treatment of obesity and generate initial clinical data for the planned market launch.

Challenge in the healthcare sector

Obesity is one of the biggest global health problems. According to forecasts, the number of people affected will rise to over one billion by 2030. At the same time, existing therapies are reaching their limits: surgical interventions are invasive and only accessible to a limited extent, while drug treatments are cost-intensive and often have to be used permanently.

Minimally invasive approach without surgery

Sedivention pursues a new therapeutic approach. A one-off, outpatient treatment without surgery, implants or long-term medication. The technology is based on a specially developed cryo-balloon catheter, which is used in a similar way to a gastroscopy.

Specific nerve pathways of the vagus nerve in the stomach area are influenced by targeted cold treatment. The aim is to normalize the disturbed regulation of hunger and satiety and thus enable sustainable weight loss. According to Ute Nollert, the approach directly addresses the physiological causes of the disease and is intended to achieve a long-term effect.

However, from the practical experience of the obesity clinics, we as editors have to point out that this method still requires a sustainable change in lifestyle. On the one hand, overweight people usually eat poorer quality food anyway and there are only a few "good" nutrients in it. If they simply eat less without changing their diet, this can lead to deficiency symptoms. On the other hand, the diet and exercise habits must also be adapted, as otherwise the stomach will continue to stretch despite or precisely because of the catheter. This phenomenon occurs more frequently in patients following gastric sleeve surgery. Even at a critical distance, every other approved therapy is another option for overweight patients.

Large market with considerable potential

In addition to the medical need, Sedivention addresses a market worth billions. The global costs associated with obesity are estimated at several trillion US dollars annually. CEO Andreas Bröcker sees the technology as having the potential to create a scalable and internationally applicable solution for this market.

Next steps lie with clinics and regulation

An initial functional prototype has already been developed and tested. With the new funding, the company plans to complete product development and carry out a first-in-human study. At the same time, the regulatory requirements for market entry are to be created.

Investors see disruptive potential

The approach is also seen as promising by investors. Jan Engels emphasizes the combination of medical evidence and scalability. Carlos Figueredo emphasizes the transformative potential of the technology for one of the largest healthcare markets in the world. In the long term, Sedivention aims to replace invasive surgical procedures with outpatient interventional procedures and thus improve access to effective therapies.