Metyos Develops Biowearable for Monitoring Chronic Kidney Disease
Alexandre Boulanger, renowned for his work in building self-balancing exoskeletons at Wandercraft, has shifted his focus to developing a far lighter wearable technology: an arm-worn patch for monitoring chronic kidney disease (CKD) through his medtech startup, Metyos. Boulanger serves as CEO of Metyos, which he co-founded with CTO Olga Chashchina, a biomedical engineering PhD holder with expertise in biosensors crucial to their innovative project.
The rise of biowearable technology, exemplified by the commercialization of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) for diabetes management, has sparked interest in leveraging such devices for chronic disease management. With healthcare costs on the rise, there is a growing demand for smarter solutions that optimize disease management without compromising quality. Metyos aims to address this need by developing arm-worn, real-time sensing technology that detects chemical changes in the skin linked to chronic kidney conditions, akin to CGMs for diabetes.
Metyos envisions its biowearables being prescribed by doctors as part of remote treatment management for CKD patients, enabling healthcare professionals to remotely monitor warning signs of renal failure and hyperkalemia. For patients, the technology aims to empower them to take a proactive role in their healthcare by providing personalized recommendations and insights into CKD via a dedicated app. By offering data-driven insights to both doctors and patients, Metyos seeks to enhance disease management and patient outcomes.
The biowearable will monitor ions and minerals indicative of kidney function, transmitting data to a smartphone app via Bluetooth. The data will then be relayed to Metyos’ secure cloud server, allowing healthcare professionals to remotely track disease progression and intervene as necessary. Metyos commenced development in 2021 with initial funding from “love money” and a public grant, culminating in the creation of a prototype and successful bench tests.
