Aptatek BioSciences, Inc. Closes Funding Tranche Based on Successful Clinical Evaluation of Its PheCheckTM Aptamer-Based In-Home Monitoring Platform

Aptatek BioSciences, Inc., a developer of in-home health monitoring solutions for patients with chronic disease, announced the completion of a funding round led by Canterbury Scientific, LDT, and the National PKU Alliance (NPKUA).

The funding, based on the successful initial clinical evaluation of Aptatek's first product, will be used to complete clinical studies of its groundbreaking in-home monitoring platform for phenylketonuria (PKU). This chronic, rare inherited disorder causes the dangerous build-up of the amino acid phenylalanine in the body. Like diabetes, it must be carefully monitored for management through optimization of diet and medication.

"The continued support of Canterbury Scientific and the NPKUA is critical for the successful development of our first DNA aptamer-based application in chronic disease," said Aptatek CEO Dr. Michael Boyce-Jacino. "We are delighted to have their endorsement of our technology and the benefit of their counsel as we continue to grow."

Clive Seymour, CEO of Canterbury Scientific, a leading global OEM supplier of IVD controls, stated, "the Aptatek team is at the leading edge of chronic disease management. The work they have done so far has great promise for those dealing with this rare disorder. We are excited to continue our investment and give them the guidance they need to be successful."

"A home-based monitoring system for blood phenylalanine levels is a critical unmet need for PKU management. We are thrilled to continue supporting Aptatek's promising PheCheck platform, which aims to address this important gap," said Catherine Warren, Executive Director of the National PKU Alliance.

A spinout from Columbia University, Aptatek BioSciences, Inc. is a point-of-care technology company with a unique, aptamer-based assay chemistry developing products for in-home health monitoring.

Currently, diagnosis and monitoring of inborn diseases are performed only in centralized laboratories, which is costly, slow, and inaccessible to millions of people globally. One such disease is Phenylketonuria (PKU). Once diagnosed, PKU patients must closely monitor their phenylalanine levels for their entire lifetimes or face severe health challenges. PKU patients have no choice but to visit a hospital or mail blood samples to a central lab.