Med Talk X Mattias Ivarsson
How to tackle start-ups at eTH Zurich
Let‘s take a closed look at the compound INS-3001… it is a small molecule drug based on inositol phosphate, a natural facilitator of diverse cellular functions, that inhibits calcification in order to stop aortic stenosis progression (the constriction of the body’s main artery). The Aorta has a valve, the aortic valve, that opens when the blood from the heart is pumped in the direction of the body: if the calcification of the valve occurs, almost all the organs of the body will get a restricted amount of blood and, therefore, oxygen. INS-3001 binds to the surface of valve calcifications, forming a coating that is supposed to stop valve degeration by stopping the apposition of further material on the valve. With current treatment options, four million aortic stenosis patients are undergoing watchful waiting… thus, it is an untapped market. The target group of patients would be those with moderate stenosis progression, because the intervention could still be very helpful. The calcification problem is very common and is a very relevant obstacle in the treatment of the broad pathology spectrum of cardiovascular diseases.
One of the most interesting facts about “Inositec” is that they operate as a virtual biotech, therefore they don’t have any actual laboratory, but they make extensive use of outsourcing. This biotech company is a “child” of strong academic research!
We’re very grateful for this amazing opportunity, where we as students could see how revolutionary inventions are made through academia and then brought to the people in need of a cure. Thank you, Mattias Ivarsson, for your time and for an amazing presentation!
Mattias Ivarsson carried out his studies in biomedical engineering at EPFL, Cornell University and ETH Zürich. After his PhD in pharmaceutical sciences at ETH, he founded the start-up Inositec AG which was later on acquired by Vifor Pharma (today CSL Vifor). For his business ideas he won extensive recognition, inter alia the nomination to the Forbes 30 under 30 European list in Healthcare and Science. In his upcoming talk, he will be giving an insight into his own journey as well as tips and tricks on how to establish start-ups at ETH.
The Health Science Club and the fellow students interested in the modern evolvement of health technologies, had the great pleasure of meeting the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of „Inositec“, Mattias Ivarsson who is responsabile for award-winning research alongside with Prof. Jean-Christophe Leroux and Prof. Bastien Castagne at ETH Zurich. His company, whose avant-garde compound INS-3001 for aortic valve stenosis is leading in the health science technology field, has made its mission to improve lives of patients with cardio-renal calcification diseases.
