SIRS-Lab, the innovation leader in molecular diagnostics for life threatening infections has successfully raised EURO 10 million new equity capital led by Affentranger Associates alongside with bm-t Beteiligungsmanagement Thüringen and Swiss institutional investors. The company will use the funds to bring new molecular diagnostics to the market to enable fast identification and simple monitoring of sepsis often a deadly disease.

As of today sepsis - also called blood poisoning - is the second most frequent cause of death in hospitals after cardio-vascular diseases. With about two million cases worldwide out of which approximately 50% die, sepsis remains one of the greatest and least publicly recognized challenges of the clinical medicine. SIRS-Lab is one of the pioneers that recognized the importance to identify very early the occurrence of sepsis as well as to monitor the evolution of the disease. The objective of the company is to dramatically improve the survival chances of the patients by providing to the clinicians with simple and non invasive tests to initiate efficacious therapeutic treatments rapidly.

"Our financial investment and hands-on involvement in SIRS-Lab reflect our conviction in the strong added value of the tests developed by the company" said Nicolas Fulpius, Partner at Affentranger Associates "The fast democratization of the molecular diagnostic technologies combined with a high unmet medical need in sepsis, positions SIRS-Lab ideally to become one of the leading players in the multi-billion market of diagnostics for severe infections."

SIRS-Lab has developed its highly innovative diagnostic programs in cooperation with the University Hospital Jena. Together, they have build up over years a worldwide unique bio-bank with clinical samples from hundreds of sepsis patients. Recently, SIRS-Lab has announced to have identified for the first time a robust and specific gene expression signature for sepsis that will serve as basis for one family of new diagnostic products. In addition, the company will leverage its unique and protected Pureprove® technology to bring fast and highly sensitive pathogen tests to the market.

"With substantial new capital, SIRS-Lab is now ready to bring its first set of sepsis tests to the market very shortly" said Stefan Russwurm, CEO of SIRS-Lab "The combination of the scientific expertise of SIRS-Lab with the experience of Affentranger Associates in the development of high-growth companies will enable SIRS-Lab to reach the next level in terms of value creation."

As result of this investment, Affentranger Associates and Beteiligungsmanagement Thüringen will be joining the Board of the Company.