Sepsis, a deadly inflammation from infection, kills millions of children under five each year. Efferon, a TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 finalist, has developed a medical device that can drastically lower these numbers, absorbing toxins and cytokines to aid recovery.

The company’s CEO, Dima Romashin, likens sepsis to a fire where the body’s immune response goes haywire. Efferon’s devices can target both the ‘flame’ and the ‘smoke’ – endotoxins and cytokines – simultaneously, making a critical difference in treatment.

Efferon’s pediatric device, Efferon NEO, is proving especially effective given the unique physiology of children. Since children have a lower blood volume, the device is specifically engineered for their needs. It received a CE mark in April, making it the first multimodal blood purification device designed for pediatric sepsis.

The device is already in use in intensive care units across 30 countries, including European hospitals, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand. Efferon is now preparing for FDA approval and aims to reach $2 million in annualized revenue by the end of 2026.

For Romashin, the true measure of success is not financial but the children who get to go home. Efferon’s technology, originally developed by scientists at Moscow State University, has the potential to save countless lives.