Technology from a Mount Sinai Startup (Cardea Sciences) That Will Improve Outcomes for Cardiac Patients Wins the NYC Life Science Innovation Showcase

July 18, 2017 – Technology for identifying at-risk atrial fibrillation (AFib) patients was chosen as the winner of the inaugural Alexandria LaunchLabs Scholarship Award, which recognizes excellence in health care technology, entrepreneurship and business competencies. The technology, developed by a Mount Sinai researcher and entrepreneur, Ya-El Mandel-Portnoy, PhD, was selected from entries submitted by 26 of New York City’s top academic entrepreneurs, who presented their work to investors and biopharma business executives at the 2017 NYC Life Science Innovation Showcase on June 13, 2017.

Dr. Mandel-Portnoy launched Cardea Sciences, a startup addressing the critical unmet medical need of effectively stratifying patients with AFib—the most common cardiac arrhythmia, costing the United States an estimated $26 billion annually—during her doctorate program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Her winning technology will help patients and care providers to better manage AFib in an outpatient setting by measuring pulse deficit—the difference in the heart rate between key areas in the body—and segmenting AFib patients based on the magnitude of their pulse deficit.

“Cardea Sciences’ focus is on patient outcomes, empowering patients and clinicians to manage the disease by identifying those AFib patients who will not tolerate the arrhythmia well and will suffer from severe adverse events,” said Dr. Mandel-Portnoy. “This will help care providers optimize their course of treatment and reduce the number of readmissions, thus leading to a reduction in health care costs.”

As the Alexandria LaunchLabs Scholarship Award winner, Dr. Mandel-Portnoy will receive laboratory and office space at the innovative Alexandria LaunchLabs, New York City’s premier, full-service life science startup platform at the Alexandria Center for Life Science – New York City.

“Dr. Mandel-Portnoy is a product of the innovation ecosystem that we’ve built at Mount Sinai. We are thrilled that Cardea Sciences was recognized by Alexandria LaunchLabs and look forward to its success,” said Erik Lium, PhD, Senior Vice President of Mount Sinai Innovation Partners, the commercialization arm of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

The NYC Life Science Innovation Showcase was organized by Alexandria Real Estate Equities, Inc., an urban office REIT focused on collaborative life science and technology campuses, in partnership with the New York Academic Consortium.

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Mandel-Portnoy bring her passion and excitement for entrepreneurship to the Alexandria LaunchLabs community and are committed to helping her build a successful company around her promising AFib technology,” said Blake Stevens, PhD, general manager of Alexandria LaunchLabs.

About Mount Sinai Innovation Partners (MSIP)
MSIP is responsible for driving the real-world application and commercialization of Mount Sinai discoveries and the development of research partnerships with industry. The aim is to translate these innovations into healthcare products and services that benefit patients and society. MSIP is responsible for the full spectrum of commercialization activities required to bring the Icahn School of Medicine and the Mount Sinai Health System’s inventions to life. These activities include evaluating, patenting, marketing and licensing new technologies, engaging commercial and non-profit relationships for sponsored research, material transfer and confidentiality, as well as fostering an ecosystem of entrepreneurship within our research and health system communities. For more information, visit www.ip.mountsinai.org.

About Alexandria LaunchLabs at the Alexandria Center for Life Science – New York City
Alexandria LaunchLabs is New York City’s premier, full-service startup platform designed to satisfy key unmet needs for plug-and-play space and strategic risk capital for seed- and early-stage life science companies in New York City. Located at the Alexandria Center for Life Science – New York City, Alexandria LaunchLabs provides move-in-ready office/laboratory space, first-class support resources, shared equipment and services, creative amenities and access to startup capital through the Alexandria Seed Capital Platform—all of which are critical for accelerating the growth of seed- and early-stage companies in New York City. The Alexandria LaunchLabs team continues to accept applications for future members. For more information, please visit www.launchlabsnyc.com.