Leuko raises $5M for PointCheck WBC monitoring technology

Leuko has raised Series A funding worth $5m for the validation of its non-invasive white blood cell (WBC) monitoring solution, PointCheck, for people with cancer.

HTH VC, Nina Capital, IAG Capital Partners, Good Growth Capital and angel investors all contributed to the funding.

PointCheck is a technology that aids in the monitoring of WBCs in an at-home setting.

To monitor WBC levels without taking a blood sample collection, patients simply place a finger on the PointCheck device for a minute each day.

The device is connected to the internet and sends the collected data to the patient’s care team.

The care team can then triage the findings to provide suitable, preventive therapies for patients according to a clinician’s guidance.

Leuko noted that the solution showed diagnostic precision and usability in the at-home setting in recently published studies.

The latest funding will expedite the clinical trials necessary for the solution to obtain regulatory clearance.

The company plans to carry out the trials in partnership with various cancer centres, including Dexeus and Hospital 12 de Octubre in Europe, and Boston Medical Center and MD Anderson in the US.

Leuko co-founder and CEO Dr Carlos Castro-Gonzalez said: “Low WBC levels is one of the most common as well as most devastating and costliest side effects of cancer chemotherapy.

“Clinical data indicates that as many as one out of every six chemotherapy patients suffer life-threatening infections and hospital readmissions directly linked to low WBCs.

“At Leuko, we are working on a solution to help patients and providers prevent these hospital readmissions and improve clinical outcomes, by remotely monitoring WBC levels before infections ensue.” Medical Device Network