Aarhus-based medtech raises large multi-million investment for faster stroke diagnostics

Aarhus-based medtech startup MedicQuant wants to tackle one of the biggest bottlenecks in acute stroke treatment. Namely, the lack of quick answers. MedicQuant has just completed the first closing of its DKK 22 million seed round led by Delphinus Venture Capital with participation from business angels and follow-on investment from the Danish Export and Investment Fund.

“The first time a stroke patient gets faster treatment because our device helped doctors get an answer earlier, it will mean everything. That’s the future we’re working towards,” says Line Debois, CEO and co-founder of MedicQuant.

The company is developing a point-of-care test that can measure the level of blood-thinning medication directly at the patient’s bedside, potentially eliminating critical waiting times in treatment.

Stroke is one of the most time-critical conditions in healthcare. In Denmark, around 12,000 people are affected annually, and globally the disease is among the leading causes of death. In stroke treatment, clinicians often use the phrase “time is brain” – every minute without treatment increases the risk of permanent brain damage or death.

Yet doctors are often left without quick answers when patients are treated with newer blood thinners. This can delay crucial decisions about what treatment can be given safely. This is exactly the gap that MedicQuant aims to fill with its technology.

Based on research from Aarhus University

MedicQuant is a spinout from Aarhus University and builds on more than 11 years of research in DNA nanotechnology.

The platform is designed to deliver lab-accurate measurements in around 10 minutes directly in the clinic. Measurement of anticoagulants is the first application, but the technology can potentially be used more widely in healthcare.

According to co-founder and CTO Malthe Hansen-Bruhn, the focus stems from a clear need from clinicians.

“This is a real clinical problem that doctors are facing and we have a technology that can address this huge need that currently has no good solution,” he says.

“The more doctors we talked to, the clearer it became that faster answers can make a real difference, both for patients and for teams making decisions under massive time pressure,” adds Malthe Hansen-Bruhn.

With the seed investment, MedicQuant is now entering the next phase where the focus is on finalizing product development, conducting analytical validation and preparing clinical studies.

For investors, the combination of technology and a clear clinical need is what makes the case attractive.

“MedicQuant addresses a serious and time-critical challenge in healthcare with a solution rooted in a real clinical need,” says Katrine Haahr Riisberg, Investment Associate at Delphinus Venture Capital.

She also emphasizes the team approach.

“What impressed us was not only the scientific foundation, but also the way Line, Malthe and the rest of the team have worked closely with clinicians to understand where they can create the greatest impact,” she says.