Startup’s technology can detect multiple biomarkers under the skin in real-time, starting with next-gen CGM.
British healthtech Sava has secured $19 million in Series A funding following promising results from the first clinical trial of its wearable biosensor technology. The London-based startup has developed a proprietary microsensing technology capable of detecting multiple biomarkers just beneath the skin in real time.
Founded in 2019 by Imperial College London bioengineers Renato Circi and Rafaël Michali, Sava has created a sensing platform that streams real-time molecular insights to a smartphone. Its initial product is a next-generation, “pain-free”, continuous glucose monitor (CGM), however the company says its modular platform is designed to detect multiple molecules, enabling future insights into various aspects of health.
Sava’s CGM aims to address the limitations of filament-based sensors, which it claims can be uncomfortable, expensive and limited in lifespan. The clinical trial, independently run across Oxford and Cambridge with 50 patients living with Type 1 and insulin-dependent Type 2 diabetes, has demonstrated continuous glucose monitoring for up to 10 days with reliable accuracy. Sava claims this is a first for microsensor-based systems, which typically fail to maintain performance beyond a few days and sometimes degrade within 24 hours. The trial lays the groundwork for regulatory submissions and a pivotal study planned for next year.
“This clinical trial marks a pivotal moment not just for Sava, but for the future of biosensing and personalised healthcare,” said Michali. “The data generated so far has shown that our technology has the potential to match the performance of leading CGMs in the market today, without the invasiveness or high cost of filament-based systems. It paves the way for a completely novel approach to biosensing that can redefine the way we approach not only chronic disease management, but any health goal.”
While Sava’s ambitions clearly extend beyond glucose, the company doesn’t specify which additional molecules it will be going after next, although it is reasonable to assume it will be considering metabolites such as fatty acids, amino acids, lactate and ketone bodies.
“Glucose is only the beginning,” said Circi. “We have built a modular platform, capable of multi-molecule sensing. New molecules will create new use cases. What we’re building here is not just a device, but a whole new technological foundation for personalised healthcare, where anyone can use a biosensor to understand their health in real-time, at a molecular level.”
The Series A round, brings Sava’s total funding to $32 million, was led by Balderton Capital and Pentland Ventures, with participation from Norrsken VC, JamJar Investments, True, Italian Founders Fund, Athletico Ventures, SOLO Investments and Exceptional Ventures. The capital will be used to expand the team, enhance automated manufacturing capabilities and accelerate regulatory approvals for the biosensor platform.
“Understanding what’s going on in our bodies is the first step to improving our health,” said Balderton partner James Wise. “Sava’s innovation has the potential to democratise access to glucose monitoring, as well as many other biomarkers, making them more practical for the millions of people who need them but can’t afford or tolerate the current options. Beyond diabetes, which alone is one of the greatest health challenges of our time, their platform opens the door to an entirely new era of personalised health monitoring.”
