Proton Device for Kidney Disease and Heart Failure Risk Reduction

The Challenge of Potassium Imbalance and Emerging Solutions

Individuals grappling with chronic kidney disease, or those at heightened risk of heart failure, are significantly impacted by disruptions in the body’s potassium balance. These imbalances can pose serious, even life-threatening, health risks. While continuous glucose monitoring has become widespread and revolutionized diabetes care, potassium monitoring remains a complex and underdeveloped field.

However, innovative startups are now beginning to tackle this critical need.

Proton Intelligence: A New Approach to Potassium Monitoring

Proton Intelligence, a startup headquartered in Canada, is pioneering a continuous potassium monitoring system. The company recently secured $6.95 million in seed funding, led by SOSV. Currently, clinical evaluations of the device are in progress, with an anticipated launch date in 2025.

Proton’s technology centers around a compact device designed for subcutaneous insertion – positioned just beneath the skin. This device continuously tracks potassium levels.

How the System Works

The device seamlessly connects to a smartphone application, enabling patients to actively monitor their potassium levels. The app provides alerts when levels deviate from a pre-defined safe range, factoring in lifestyle elements such as dietary choices and medication intake.

Furthermore, a dedicated clinician dashboard will display a patient’s potassium trends over time. Care teams can then leverage this data to optimize treatment plans and improve patient outcomes.

The Team Behind Proton Intelligence

The company was co-founded by Sahan Ranamukhaarachchi, serving as CEO and based in Vancouver, Canada, and Victor Cadarso, the Chief Scientific Officer, located in Melbourne.

Both founders bring extensive experience to the project. They initially collaborated on wearable biosensor research a decade ago while working in Switzerland. Subsequently, Ranamukhaarachchi established Microdermics, a startup focused on skin-based drug delivery, while Cadarso assumed a professorship in micro- and nano-sensors at Monash University in Melbourne.

Proton maintains a commercially-oriented headquarters in Canada and a fully-owned research and development subsidiary in Melbourne, Australia.

Insights from Extensive Research

Ranamukhaarachchi shared with TechCrunch that the team conducted over 100 detailed interviews with healthcare professionals to inform their product development. “These conversations underscored the severe consequences of managing potassium levels without adequate monitoring,” he explained, “as delays in assessment frequently result in avoidable hospital admissions, treatment interruptions, or even sudden cardiac arrest.”

Patients expressed a pervasive anxiety regarding potential potassium imbalances, constantly questioning the impact of even minor dietary choices, like consuming a banana, or missing a scheduled blood test, on their well-being and safety.

The Scope of the Problem

The prevalence of chronic kidney disease affects approximately 10% of the global population. Tragically, thousands of lives are lost annually due to limited access to affordable and effective treatment options.

Competitive Landscape

Proton Intelligence operates within a growing field of emerging companies.

• AliveCor estimates potassium levels indirectly through cardiac activity monitoring (total funding: $154.3 million).
• Alio focuses on potassium monitoring specifically for patients undergoing dialysis (funding: $46 million).
• Renalyse, based in Spain, measures potassium levels using finger-prick blood samples (funding: €1 million).
• Several other companies are also actively developing solutions.

Despite the competition, Proton’s founders assert that their solution offers superior scalability. “Currently, no other technology provides this combination of usability, accuracy, and clinical benefit,” stated Ranamukhaarachchi.

Investor Confidence

Mohan S. Iyer, General Partner at SOSV, commented in a statement: “We are proud to be the initial institutional investor in Proton Intelligence… and we look forward to supporting their progress through clinical validation.”

The seed funding round also included participation from We Venture Capital, Tenmile, LongeVC, 15th Rock, Exor, and Trampoline Venture Partners.