Spanish company Aortyx has secured €13.8m ($15.8m) in a Series A financing round to further develop its bioresorbable patch, a minimally invasive treatment for aortic dissections.

The funding will propel the product towards first-in-human readiness within the next two years.

The company’s team developed the solution for this condition, characterised by a tear in the aortic wall.

Aortyx noted that they developed a steerable catheter that will navigate through the aorta and deliver a circular patch to seal the tear.

Made from biodegradable material, the patch acts as scaffolding to promote tissue regeneration.

The patch is produced leveraging electrospinning, a technique that enables the creation of a viscoelastic, controlled, and biocompatible material, similar to spider silk.

The founding team comprises CEO Jordi Martorell, CSO Salvador Borrós, CMO Vicenç Riambau, and CTO Noemí Balà.

Its mission is to provide an alternative to the current treatments for Europeans who suffer from aortic dissections.

The funding round was spearheaded by Ship2B Ventures through BSocial Impact Fund, with participation from Clave Capital, the European Innovation Council (EIC) fund, Nara Capital, and the Centre for the Development of Industrial Technology (CDTI), among others.

Martorell said: “Aortic dissections kill more people than car crashes. What we hope to provide is an option that is effective, long-lasting, and respectful of the aorta to treat aortic dissection and other aortic diseases.”

The solution has demonstrated promising results in animal and cadaver studies. Vascular and cardiothoracic surgeons are the anticipated primary users of this technology.

Aortyx director and Clave Capital investment director Sergio San Agustín said: “The technology is the result of years of research at IQS and Hospital Clínic, which have been able to transfer this technology and advance the development of the product for patients with the ultimate goal of saving lives.”