STAAART

Description

Programme: Horizon Europe, EIC Accelerator Open
Funding amount: €2.5 million for Bavaria
Funding period: 01/2024–12/2025
Coordinator: Dr Isabel Schellinger, Angiolutions GmbH
Website: www.angiolutions.com

EU project STAAART: New therapy for early-stage abdominal aortic aneurysms

The management team of Angiolutions GmbH: Dr Uwe Raaz (top), Dr Isabel Schellinger, Marius Rummel

An abdominal aortic aneurysm is a pathological enlargement of the abdominal aorta that affects about one in twenty people in Western countries. If the abdominal aorta ruptures, it is fatal in 80 per cent of cases. Although most abdominal aortic aneurysms are detected at an early stage, there is currently no treatment that can halt the progression of the disease. As part of the EU project STAAART (SmarT Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Treatment), Angiolutions GmbH is working on a new therapy for the treatment of early-stage abdominal aortic aneurysms.

A bulging abdominal aorta is a ticking time bomb. In Germany, around 2,500 people die from it every year. Until now, abdominal aortic aneurysms could only be treated in their late stages with risky and unreliable procedures.

The treatment developed by Angiolutions GmbH to stop abdominal aortic aneurysms in their early stages is based on a minimally invasive vascular implant that mechanically shields the aneurysm from the pulse waves of the aorta, thus preventing further growth. The implant, made of a nickel-titanium alloy (Nitinol), is inserted into the aorta via the femoral artery using a catheter under local anaesthetic and positioned over the sacculation of the aneurysm to increase the stiffness of the aorta at this point. This new treatment makes it possible for the first time to 'defuse' aneurysms at an early stage.

“Doctors will soon be able to offer treatment to the hundreds of thousands of patients around the world who are living with early-stage abdominal aortic aneurysms. This will be a great relief for patients, as they will be able to avoid risky surgery at a later stage of the disease,” says Dr Uwe Raaz, Co-CEO of Angiolutions GmbH.

With BayFOR in the 'Champions League' of EU funding

Angiolutions is one of 130 start-ups from across Europe selected to receive funding from the EIC Accelerator in 2023. The company plans to use the EU funding to bring its technology to market by the end of 2025.

As an EEN partner specialising in EU funding, the Bavarian Research Alliance (BayFOR) helped Angiolutions to successfully apply for the highly competitive European 'EIC Accelerator Open' funding. The EIC Accelerator funding instrument is aimed exclusively at high-innovative, internationally oriented small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups with disruptive ideas and growth potential and helps them to develop specific and high-risk innovations to market maturity.

BayFOR supported Angiolutions in the three-stage application process:

Stage 1: Short application
Stage 2: Full application
Stage 3: Interview (pitch) in front of the jury

During the very intensive review of the application, BayFOR paid particular attention to the following points:

A clear presentation of the project idea/innovation and a structured application;
The importance and relevance of the product for the European market;
The impact of the new therapy on European society;
Market share and volume;
Identification of potential customer base;
Implementation strategy;

BayFOR conducted several training sessions with Angiolutions in preparation for the interview with the jury.

BayFOR@Work

“The BayFOR SME consulting team supported and coached us during the application process with unparalleled commitment, sharing their extensive expertise and providing new impetus. They were also always there for us as a point of contact.”

Dr Isabel Schellinger, Managing Director of Angiolutions GmbH