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23 May, 2024
The company is addressing Lyme disease as its first application due to this disorder’s escalation as the most prevalent vector-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere—with 1.2 million cases recorded annually. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), the rate is increasing alarmingly, at 22.5 per cent per year from 2000 to 2018.
En Carta’s technology is a rapid Point-of-Care diagnostic platform, in a frugal cassette format. It uses aptamers, capable of binding with high affinity and specificity to a predetermined target. This ‘signature’ can be programmed to detect any genetic, pathogenic or veterinary indication, opening up an extensive range of applications.
The platform enables the long-awaited early diagnosis of Lyme disease, a critical capability that has been lacking in the standard testing for the disease.
Current Lyme disease tests are designed to detect antibodies made by the body in response to infection. As antibodies can take several weeks to develop, tests conducted on recently infected patients may produce a negative result.
En Carta’s molecular diagnostic platform is the first to overcome this shortcoming, paving the way for more accurate and rapid diagnosis.
Founded in 2022, En Carta has built five prototypes, published ten papers in scientific journals on the proof of concept on pathogens including Zika, chikungunya, malaria, Ebola and typhoid, and secured a commercial contract with a digital healthcare leader.
According to Guillaume Horreard, CEO at En Carta:
"Today, we have a very robust platform technology leveraged for accuracy, speed and cost, which are key in the Point-of-Care space. As a first step, we are focusing on Lyme disease, where the sizeable patient population, accelerated growth of the problem and need for rapid diagnosis following a tick bite make our product indispensable.”
CentraleSupélec Venture led the round, which included participation from a handful of high-profile business angels.
The investment will assist En Carta in achieving preclinical data on a prototype diagnostic kit for its flagship indication, the debilitating Lyme disease, while ensuring its ability to scale industrially.
The platform enables the long-awaited early diagnosis of Lyme disease, a critical capability that has been lacking in the standard testing for the disease.
Current Lyme disease tests are designed to detect antibodies made by the body in response to infection. As antibodies can take several weeks to develop, tests conducted on recently infected patients may produce a negative result. En Carta’s molecular diagnostic platform is the first to overcome this shortcoming, paving the way for more accurate and rapid diagnosis. The company expects to present preclinical data in early 2025.