HBOX Therapies is developing MiRA, a new generation of extracorporeal life support designed to bring advanced gas exchange to far more patients through less invasive intervention.
With lower blood flows and smaller cannulas than conventional extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), MiRA is designed to protect hearts and lungs, helping to avoid or reduce intubation and invasive mechanical ventilation.
The clinical need
ECMO reaches only up to 2% of patients.8
Acute respiratory failure affects more than 8 million patients worldwide every year.1,2 About 70% of them are sedated, intubated, and treated with invasive mechanical ventilation.3 While lifesaving, mechanical ventilation can further stress already compromised lungs and potentiate lung injury, potentially contributing to multiorgan failure and death.4,5
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) provides gas exchange independently of the lungs directly with the patient's blood.6 However, its invasiveness and complexity largely restrict its use to critically ill patients in specialized centers.6,7
The missing option: less invasive extracorporeal support to help protect hearts and lungs.
Our solution
MiRA (Miniaturized Respiratory Assist) is designed to make extracorporeal life support accessible to a broader range of patients.
Combining optimized blood flow with pressure-controlled gas management facilitates system miniaturization. Lower blood flows and smaller cannulas with additional safety features and simplified operation are designed to make extracorporeal support more accessible.
Our goal is to transform extracorporeal support from a highly specialized rescue therapy into an accessible treatment option for millions more patients.
Support patients whose condition is deteriorating, with the goal of avoiding sedation and intubation.
Supplement gas exchange during invasive mechanical ventilation, potentially enabling more lung-protective ventilator settings.
Facilitate spontaneous breathing and weaning from mechanical ventilation and potentially enable earlier extubation.
Our technology
MiRA combines a novel artificial lung, innovative pressure-controlled gas management, and a dedicated blood pump in an integrated extracorporeal life support system.
Our proprietary technologies are designed to enhance gas exchange performance, improve safety, and enable system miniaturization.
Our novel artificial lung is designed to maximize gas exchange efficiency while minimizing blood-contacting surface area and blood damage.
Its optimized geometry promotes homogeneous blood flow distribution and efficient washout, minimizing stagnation zones and flow resistance. These features aim to reduce blood trauma, clotting, inflammation, and the need for anticoagulation.
Our proprietary gas management technology actively controls the pressure on the gas side of the artificial lung.
This innovative approach increases oxygen and carbon dioxide transfer, enabling system miniaturization and greater control over gas exchange. It also introduces additional safety features and is designed to simplify device operation.
Our dedicated blood pump is engineered to minimize blood damage and enables safe and simple setup and operation.
Further technical details will be disclosed at a later stage.
Beyond MiRA, our technologies also have the potential to improve established extracorporeal applications, including ECMO and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (ECPR), and ex-vivo Organ Perfusion.
HBOX Therapies was founded in 2021 in Aachen, Germany, by Peter Schlanstein, Niklas Steuer, and Matthias Menne.
The three founders met while working at the Department of Cardiovascular Engineering at University Hospital RWTH Aachen, an internationally recognized center for cardiovascular engineering and artificial lung research.
Combining extensive expertise in cardiovascular engineering and artificial lungs, they founded HBOX Therapies to translate innovative cardiopulmonary support technologies into clinical practice.
Co-Founder & Co-CEO
Niklas brings over 10 years of experience in artificial lung development and blood-contacting medical devices. With a PhD in medical sciences, a background in mechanical engineering, and additional training in leadership and organizational development, he combines technical expertise with strategic leadership. Niklas is responsible for strategy and operations.
Co-Founder & CTO
Peter brings more than 17 years of experience in artificial lung development and extracorporeal technologies. With a PhD in mechanical engineering from RWTH Aachen University focused on flow distribution in artificial lungs, he has led numerous research and development projects with industry partners, involving blood-contacting medical devices. He is the key inventor behind HBOX's technology and responsible for technology and production.
Co-Founder & Co-CEO
Matthias brings over 10 years of experience in medical device development, combining a PhD in medical sciences with a degree in business and economics. With a focus on health economics, he is responsible for HBOX Therapies' finance and fundraising activities.
This support helps us translate advanced medical engineering into medical devices that improve patient care.
