AWAK Technologies Raises US$40 Million to Ready AWAK PD Wearable Dialysis Device for Late-Stage Development and Accelerated Commercialisation – Yahoo…

Singapore, Dec. 13, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

Singapore, 13 December 2019 AWAK Technologies (AWAK), a pioneering medical technology company focused on dialysis using regeneration technology for end-stage kidney disease, today announced it has raised US$40 million of new funds in an oversubscribed financing round to ready its wearable and ultra-portable AWAK Peritoneal Dialysis (AWAK PD) device for late-stage clinical studies and accelerate its commercialisation plans.

The investment round was co-led by new investors Vickers Venture Partners, a leading venture capital firm focused on life sciences and deep tech, and a leading global medical products company. Shares were also subscribed by other new investors and existing investors including Advanced MedTech and Enterprise Singapores investment arm SEEDS Capital. The proceeds raised bring the total sum raised by AWAK since inception to more than US$60 million.

Suresha Venkataraya, Chief Executive Officer, AWAK Technologies, said: Currently, around three million people are undergoing dialysis treatment and forced to adapt their lifestyle to the therapy. AWAK PD aims to provide dialysis on-the-go with maximum convenience and comfort, reducing the time and cost burdens of dialysis for patients and healthcare systems alike. We are delighted to have attracted highly reputed investors at this important stage of AWAKs development and look forward to their guidance and expertise as we seek to revolutionise dialysis therapy.

AWAK PDs first-in-human study was completed in October 2018 and the results showed no serious adverse events after treatment, and that the AWAK PD sessions were effective at removing waste substances from the blood. The device has been granted Breakthrough Device Designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), a designation given to expedite the development and review of disruptive technologies. AWAK now expects to initiate a pivotal study of AWAK PD in the next 12-18 months and is discussing the regulatory pathway with global regulatory bodies.

"Were excited to be part of this exciting journey to greatly improve the quality of lives of dialysis patients, commentedDr. Jeffrey Chi, Vice Chairman, Vickers Venture Partners.AWAKs technology is a breakthrough in the kidney dialysis space. Whilst we expect this investment to perform well financially, we are also pleased that its technology will benefit millions of patients and alleviate the huge burden of end-stage kidney disease on global healthcare systems.

The AWAK PD device incorporates AWAKs sorbent technology which removes the uremic toxins from spent dialysate and reconstitutes used dialysis fluid into fresh fluid in real-time. This feature eliminates the current dependence on large volumes of dialysate, continuous water supply and costly water treatment in dialysis treatments. As a portable, easy-to-use device weighing only a couple of kilograms, AWAK PD will not need medical supervision to administer and has the potential to significantly reduce the infrastructure and cost associated with the current provision of care to patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD).

Abel Ang, Chairman, AWAK Technologies, and Group Chief Executive, Advanced MedTech, said, The global market for dialysis is US$80 billion. AWAKs PD device holds the potential to categorically disrupt the dialysis industry by reducing the complexity of care for people with end-stage kidney disease, and give them their life back. We are proud to have this company within our portfolio and continue to support the team in their efforts to change dialysis forever.

In July 2019 President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order to launch Advancing American Kidney Health Initiative, a bold new initiative to improve the lives of Americans suffering from kidney disease. One of the three goals of this initiative is to have 80 percent of new ESKD patients in 2025 to either receive dialysis at home or receive a transplant. The Presidents Executive Order also calls for Health and Human Services to encourage development of wearable or implantable artificial kidneys.

Ted Tan, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Singapore and Chairman of SEEDS Capital, said: Were proud to have supported AWAK over the years since its inception. It is a home-grown company that has developed an innovative technology with the potential to address one of the greatest unmet needs in healthcare globally.

Story continues

Ends

About AWAK Technologies

AWAK Technologies Pte Ltd. is a pioneering, patient-centric medical technology company with a mission to enhance the lives of dialysis patients and their caregivers by providing solutions to deliver better outcomes and improve their quality of life.

Headquartered in Singapore with an office in Burbank, California, USA, the company is dedicated to the research, development and marketing of AWAK PD, a novel, sorbent-based kidney dialysis machine for the treatment of patients with end-stage kidney disease. For more information, please visit: http://www.awak.com

1https://ercpa.eu/index.php/facts-figures/

2https://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/96/6/17-206441/en/

Attachment

Media contacts:

Mandar Gori AWAK Technologies Pte Ltd +65 6950 0925 mandar.gori@awak.com

Emma Thompson / Tianning He Spurwing Communications +65 6751 2021 awak@spurwingcomms.com

Read the original:

AWAK Technologies Raises US$40 Million to Ready AWAK PD Wearable Dialysis Device for Late-Stage Development and Accelerated Commercialisation - Yahoo...