Medical technology startup Efferon has developed a pediatric blood purification device designed to treat sepsis by removing harmful toxins and inflammatory molecules from the bloodstream. The company says its Efferon NEO device can reduce organ failure rates and shorten recovery times in children with the life-threatening condition.
Efferon was selected as one of TechCrunch Disrupt 2026’s Startup Battlefield 200 participants. Sepsis, a potentially fatal inflammatory response to infection, claims approximately 3 million lives among children under five each year, according to a global report on sepsis.
How Efferon’s Blood Purification Technology Works
Standard treatments, including antibiotics, may not be sufficient to control the immune system’s excessive response to infection. In such cases, blood purification can help remove toxins and inflammatory molecules that contribute to organ damage.
Efferon’s devices use absorbers to remove endotoxins and cytokines from the bloodstream simultaneously. According to co-founder and CEO Dima Romashin, this dual-action mechanism distinguishes the company’s technology from other blood purification devices.
Speaking to TechCrunch, Romashin compared the body’s response to sepsis to a fire, with endotoxins representing the flames and cytokines representing the smoke. “In a fire, there are two things: the flame itself and smoke that it produces,” he explained.
While Efferon also manufactures blood purification devices for adults, its Efferon NEO system was developed specifically for young children. Pediatric patients have significantly lower circulating blood volumes than adults, requiring medical equipment designed for their physiological needs.
Efferon NEO Receives European Certification
In April 2026, Efferon NEO received the CE mark under the European Union’s Medical Device Regulation. According to the company, it became Europe’s first multimodal extracorporeal blood purification device specifically designed for pediatric sepsis.
Efferon NEO is currently used in intensive care units across 30 countries, including hospitals in Europe, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand. The company is also preparing to seek regulatory approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Efferon’s technology originated from research conducted by scientists at Moscow State University, including co-founder Ivan Bessonov. Romashin, a serial entrepreneur, joined as CEO earlier in 2026 to oversee the commercialization of the technology.
The startup expects to reach $2 million in annualized revenue by the end of 2026. Although Romashin acknowledged that Efferon’s growth has been slower than that of some artificial intelligence startups, he told TechCrunch that the company’s measure of success remains the number of children who recover sufficiently to return home.
Featured image credits: Magnific.com
For more stories like it, click the +Follow button at the top of this page to follow us.