Exheus, a spin-off of the Sant Pau Research Institute – IIB Sant Pau and CREB UPC that analyzes gene expression using artificial intelligence, has received a grant worth 75,000 euros within the framework of ACCIÓ’s ‘Startup Capital’. Startup Capital is a direct grant for emerging technological startups that require financing to set about the initial phases of the business, to develop their product or service and to validate the business model for accessing the market.
Exheus develops a solution that is able to sequence RNA, from a small blood sample, and match gene expression to more than 320 metabolic pathways that act as biomarkers of the parameters of the body. This solution, analyzes all those variations to improve and prevent health problems.
According to Teresa Tarragó, CEO and co-founder of Exheus, “we offer the most advanced health report including all the genes that are expressed in a blood sample. It’s a real time picture that shows what is actually happening inside your body in a particular moment”.
“Our report provides specific recommendations to improve Health, according to the indicators shown in the gene expression analysis”, explains the entrepreneur.
One of Exheus primary goals is to reduce the high-performance sports injuries and improve the associated recovery. Validated in different sports, its technology is being developed and tested with some of the main European clubs and sports centers as well as with runners of the Barcelona Marathon. Apart from their solution oriented to high-performance athletes, they are also providing solutions to improve health amongs general people, through nutrition and wellness. A second solution offers a personalised report including healthy living guidelines.
“Projects such as Exheus highlight the importance of artificial intelligence in the health ecosystem,” said Alexandre Perera, director of the Center for Research in Biomedical Engineering (CREB) at the UPC.
Dr. Jordi Surrallés, director of the Sant Pau Research Institute – IIB Sant Pau, highlighted “the importance of health research to boost not only scientific knowledge and health solutions for citizens and patients but to create business and economic value.” He also stated: “A country’s commitment to research and innovation will also determine its economic development.”
Exheus was born in June 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemics, as a spin-off of the Institut de Recerca de l’Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau – IIB Sant Pau and CREB at UPC. The company is currently located at Pier01 in Barcelona and at the Tecnocampus premises in Mataró.
