Technology that can saves lives

A med-tech startup, has come up with a product that stops uncontrollable bleeding within two minutes of its application
Technology that can saves lives

BENGALURU:When he was driving to his college in Faridabad, Leo Mavely saw a person who was hit by a bus. With the help of a few passers-by, he took the victim to the hospital in an auto rickshaw. On the way, Leo felt helpless when he could not stop this person from bleeding. “Thankfully, the hospital was nearby. But that was when I decided to create a technology that stops this kind of uncontrollable haemorrhage,” says the 32-year-old.

Leo started working at Nirma Labs, Ahmedabad and created a programme in managing tech ventures. In 2008, he started Axio Biosolutions Private Limited in a startup incubator in Nirma Labs. In 2015, the startup has setup base in Bengaluru, while the manufacturing is done out of Ahmedabad. Currently the company has 90 employees.

Axiostat stops uncontrolled bleeding within a few minutes of its application. Created using chitosan found in shellfish, this sponge-like dressing can be removed with saline water after the wound has healed. “We aim at creating advanced solutions in the wound-care market that gives affordable healthcare to everyone. Our first client was the Border Security Forces (BSF) of Chhattisgarh in 2013. We work in the field of defence in more than ten countries. Our product is used by the Indian Armed Forces in case of battlefield injuries,” he says, “We also provide this product to hospitals in their emergency trauma and cardiology wards,” says the bioengineering graduate from MDU, Rohtak.

Axio Biosolutions has acquired US’s FDA approval, thus making it the first Indian woundcare product to acquire clearance. The product has been crated in accordance to the US and European standards. “When someone thinks of Indian products, it’s seen as affordable but not of a good quality. We want to make an Indian product that is qualitatively superior as well,” he says.

The company has done around 4,00,00 shipments of their products. “I started this with my family savings and later on, it was funded by Ratan Tata, Accel and IDG ventures. Right now, we have raised around $7.4 million.”

Currently, the product reaches consumers through institutions. “Our products are present in most major hospitals like Apollo, Fortis etc. We are planning to give them directly to the consumers as well. Our vision is to create a wound care brand from India. It has never been done before.” Leo wants this to be a part of every first aid kit in the country. One moment that Leo is proud of, is the time when he found out that Axiostat was used to stop the bleeding of injured soldiers during the 2016 surgical strike. “I heard that a soldier was saved by using Axiostat from a landmine blast. The biggest reward for us to see that the products we create have helped save people from injuries.”

In a Nutshell

Axiostat, an emergency wound-care product is the first Indian one to acquire US FDA Clearance

Started up with an initial investment from family savings, the company later found support from Ratan Tata, Accel and IDG ventures.

It has so far raised $7.4 million and has already done around 4,00,000 shipments

They are present in major hospitals like Apollo, Fortis etc. And has had use in the defence sector as well during the surgical strike

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