Zurich – Alivion has secured CHF 3.8 million in financing. It includes a capital increase and a grant from Innosuisse. Alivion wants to give mobile devices a sense of smell via a breath analysis platform.
The start-up Alivion in Zurich has, according to a Announcement at startupticker.ch secured funding of 3.8 million Swiss francs. The aim is to accelerate the further development of its respiratory analysis platform and test it on patients. The financing comprises a capital increase for the company, which was launched in 2020 as a spin-off of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich(ETH), and a grant from Innosuisse. The financial support will accelerate the ongoing development and testing of Alivion's breath analysis platform. According to the press release, the patient tests are being carried out in collaboration with the University Hospital Zurich and other partners.
Alivion AG uses state-of-the-art nanotechnology to extract and quantify a molecule from a cloud of over 800 molecules in the air we breathe, according to the press release on the technology. The results are linked to the body's metabolism so that the state of health can be assessed in relation to a specific biomarker. These breath tests should make it possible to replace blood tests, which were previously the gold standard in medical diagnostics.
Alivion has developed portable gas molecule detectors that offer the same accuracy as an analytical laboratory. The first mobile methanol detector is already available. It is used to detect methanol in spirits and beverages. In severe cases, methanol poisoning can lead to blindness or even death. It is usually caused by contaminated alcoholic beverages that have been illegally mixed with methanol. But methanol is also an environmentally friendly fuel. Alivion detectors are designed to support the health and safety of all workers handling methanol. ce/gba