Efferon Targets Pediatric Sepsis With Multimodal Blood-Purification Device
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The startup is scaling its Efferon NEO device globally and preparing for FDA approval to combat childhood mortality.
Efferon, a startup recently named to TechCrunch Disrupt 2026’s Startup Battlefield 200, is developing medical devices designed to reduce organ failure and accelerate recovery for children suffering from sepsis, as TechCrunch first reported. Sepsis is a leading cause of death for children under five, killing approximately 3 million annually, according to reporting from TechCrunch.
While the company produces absorbers for adults, its pediatric-specific device, Efferon NEO, is engineered to account for the lower circulating blood volume in children. Co-founder and CEO Dima Romashin told TechCrunch that while other devices exist, Efferon's technology can simultaneously absorb both endotoxins and cytokines. Romashin likens endotoxins to the flames of a fire and cytokines to the resulting smoke.
The technology was originally created by scientists at Moscow State University, including co-founder Ivan Bessonov, and is being commercialized under Romashin's leadership. TechCrunch reports that Efferon NEO received a CE mark in April, making it the first multimodal blood-purification device specifically for pediatric sepsis. The device is currently utilized in intensive care units across 30 countries, including Thailand, Saudi Arabia, and various European hospitals.
Efferon is currently preparing its application for FDA approval. The company expects its annualized revenue to hit $2 million by the close of 2026.