Pre-eclampsia diagnosis in focus: MOMM Diagnostics' rapid test

Early diagnosis is crucial in the case of pregnancy toxemia or pre-eclampsia. The young company MOMM Diagnostics is developing a diagnostic tool to help detect pre-eclampsia quickly and accurately. The start-up was already able to present an initial prototype of préXclude at MEDICA 2023. Clinical trials are due to start soon.

In this interview, co-founder Mathias Wipf talks about the start-up's challenges and vision for the future.

Mr. Wipf, what was the inspiration behind the founding of MOMM Diagnostics?

Mathias Wipf: The inspiration for founding MOMM Diagnostics came from a scientific collaboration with Empa (Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology) in Switzerland. Originally, the technology we developed was designed for the MedTech sector in the USA. However, during the research and intensive collaboration with the experts, we realized that this technology had the potential to go far beyond the MedTech sector. We chose pre-eclampsia because it is a life-threatening pregnancy complication that urgently requires advanced diagnostic tools.

Can you explain the challenges involved in developing the pre-eclampsia diagnostic tool?

Wipf: One of the biggest challenges was the detection of biomarkers that occur in very low concentrations in the blood. Pre-eclampsia is an extremely complex disease, and the reliable identification of these biomarkers was crucial. We use biomarkers such as sFlt-1 and PlGF, which are currently used in European clinical practice. These biomarkers not only enable risk assessment in the first trimester but also the diagnosis of pre-eclampsia when symptoms appear.

However, the tests are currently only available in central laboratories and their use is often restricted to specialists. This means that only larger hospitals can perform these tests in-house and obtain the results in an acceptable amount of time to optimize patient management. We had to develop our own innovative technology to overcome this challenge and use specialized methods for quantification.

It required close collaboration with leading experts in the field to achieve this milestone, but ultimately we were able to develop préXclude as a diagnostic tool.

What are the advantages of préXclude compared to conventional diagnostics?

Wipf: There are mild to severe cases of pre-eclampsia, and they manifest themselves in different ways. Some women show no symptoms at all until the situation worsens dramatically, while others show signs of high blood pressure and other non-specific symptoms early on. Samples often have to be sent in for analysis, and the results may not be available until the next day.

This presents doctors with the challenge of having to decide on further treatment before receiving the results. In suspected cases of pre-eclampsia, additional testsare often required if the diagnosis cannot be clearly ruled out. This process can delay patient care and cause additional stress for patients.

Our test now makes it possible to carry out the diagnosis during routine examinations. Doctors receive the test results immediately while treating the patient and can therefore optimize patient management. This offers significant advantages, as the exclusion of pre-eclampsia is only reliable within a certain time window. If we can provide the results immediately, this prevents delays and uncertainty for both the patient and the doctors. It also minimizes the need for additional check-ups and thus reduces the burden on the healthcare system.

What are MOMM Diagnostics' current development and future plans?

Wipf: We are currently developing our first product and are planning the first clinical trials next summer. However, our vision goes far beyond pre-eclampsia. We want to use the technology we have developed as a platform to create diagnostic tools for cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases and other medical applications. Our goal is to provide innovative solutions that can improve healthcare worldwide.

What role do partnerships and collaborations play for your company?

Wipf: Partnerships and collaborations are crucial to our success. We work closely with renowned research institutions to expand our knowledge and further improve the effectiveness of our diagnostic tools. Clinical partners are also essential to validate the effectiveness of our products in real clinical scenarios. In addition, we actively seek potential investors to support our development and market launch plans. Our partnerships enable us to realize our visions faster and make the most of the flexibility of our platform.