Upstream Medical Technologies develops front line diagnostic tests for heart disease, which is biggest killer of women and men globally.

Each year 8 million patients present to hospital emergency departments (ED) in the US with chest pain, however 1 in 3 cannot be triaged. Many of these patients suffer from unstable angina, which is a precursor to a future heart attack. Doctors are concerned that these patients might have a heart attack if sent home, so are instead held for observation.

ED physicians require rapid and accurate diagnostic tools to determine which patients require lifesaving medical treatment, and those which can be safely sent home, but such a diagnostic tool does not exist for these patients.

Upstream has developed Marker C through testing ~2,200 patients, which has shown the potential to help an ED rapidly triage up to 35% more chest pain patients. This will allow EDs to deliver materially better patient outcomes whilst also saving hospitals time and money. The product has already attracted commercial interest from three major diagnostics companies.

Pacific Channel is leading the investment with a further $1m investment in this round.