The Liverpool City Region’s innovation fund has made its first investment, a six-figure sum into a developer of a new life-saving platform that can detect early signs of bacterial sepsis.
LYVA Labs has backed Frequasense with £175,000 to develop technology that rapidly detects sepsis – an infection that affects 245,000 people and is responsible for at least 48,000 deaths in the UK every year.
Once fully developed, Frequasense's platform, which involves a quick finger prick test, will be used by hospitals, GP surgeries nursing homes and paramedics.
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Sonja Jonas, CEO at Frequasense, said: "We have worked tirelessly to develop our platform, which will save the lives of so many who will go on to be diagnosed with sepsis.
"This investment from LYVA Labs will provide us with the funding and support we need to accelerate our offering to its final stage of development.
"We have built a fantastic relationship with the LYVA Labs team and look forward to re-locating into the city region and receiving the support we need to secure the future of this life-saving platform."
LYVA Labs was created with a £10.5m investment from the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority announced by Mayor Steve Rotheram in August 2021.
Frequasense Ltd’s product is the first investment the programme has made since its launch of the LCR Ventures Challenge Fund earlier this year.
Mr Rotheram added: "For centuries, the Liverpool City Region has been the birthplace of some of the greatest scientific discoveries that have changed the world we live in – and our understanding of it.
"I want to make sure that we continue that legacy and we’re very lucky to be building on enviable foundations.
"Our region is home to thriving ecosystem of world leaders in everything from infection control to AI – with world-class clusters of innovation on our doorstep, like the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine and our Pandemic Institute.
"We launched LCR Ventures with £10.5mbecause we want to tap into the latent potential of companies with the ambition, and capability, to deliver transformational innovation.
"It’s a big part of my wider ambition for the Liverpool City Region – I want to stake our claim as the UK’s innovation powerhouse – and we’ll only get there by investing in the bright minds and big ideas that, potentially, could see our region change the world once again."
Lorna Green, CEO of LYVA Labs, said: "We are extremely proud to be working with Frequasense Ltd as our first investment company.
"The product Frequasense will make a huge difference to the early diagnosis and treatment of sepsis, something that could save the NHS an average of £57m a year and drastically reduce hospital stays for patients who have been diagnosed."
Steve Stuart, chairman of LYVA Labs, added: "Our goal at LYVA Labs is to build on the assets of Liverpool City Region’s health and life sciences sector and Frequasense Ltd is a fantastic first addition to our growing portfolio of innovative technologies across the region."
