This MedTech Startup Just Raised $21.4M to Grow Blood Vessels Inside Patients

Jan de Vries · 2026-07-28

Dutch-US MedTech company Xeltis just secured an additional $21.4 million in funding to advance its groundbreaking technology that creates artificial blood vessels and valves that get replaced by the patient's own healthy tissue over time. ### The Funding Round This fresh capital came from a mix of new and existing investors. The round was led by new investor Horizon 3 Healthcare, with participation from the European Innovation Council, Invest-NL, VI Partners, EQT Life Sciences, DaVita, and other current shareholders. ### What Xeltis Does Founded in 2006, Xeltis develops implants that help the body naturally create living, long-lasting blood vessels. The goal is to solve major problems for the millions of people who need hemodialysis vascular access or cardiovascular replacements each year. Here's how it works: The company's Restorex platform uses an advanced polymer implant that gets transformed into the patient's own tissue. Over time, the implant is gradually absorbed, leaving new, living vessels in place that support long-term outcomes. ### The Lead Product: aXess Xeltis's most advanced product is aXess, an implantable blood vessel for hemodialysis access. It already has CE Mark approval and is being rolled out commercially across Europe. CEO Eliane Schutte explained: "This fundraising enables us to bring our technology to more European patients, advance our US pivotal trial, prepare for US market launch, and continue our other clinical programs." ### What's Next The company plans to use this capital to: - Finalize the ongoing US pivotal trial of aXess - Prepare for FDA submission and US market entry - Expand European commercial rollout - Scale up manufacturing capabilities - Advance XABG and XPAD programs in the clinic ### Investor Confidence Matt McNamara, Chief Investment Officer of Horizon 3 Healthcare, said: "The data generated by Xeltis has been highly compelling. We're impressed by the company's execution and rapid progress." This round builds on $53.5 million secured in 2025 from the European Investment Bank and existing shareholders. In 2022, the company also raised $16 million from Chinese firm Grand Pharma. ### US Progress Xeltis recently announced the successful treatment of the first commercial patient in Germany. Meanwhile, enrollment in its US pivotal trial for aXess has exceeded 50%. The company aims to reduce repeat interventions and address significant unmet needs in vascular access. With this technology, Xeltis hopes to transform the hemodialysis landscape and eventually apply its platform to other major vascular and cardiovascular diseases.