Sisu Global Health’s Hemafuse got regulatory approval in Kenya, Ghana

Sisu Global Health is entering product launch phase in a pair of African countries.
The company recently received regulatory clearance to sell its blood transfusion device in Kenya and Ghana, CEO Carolyn Yarina said.
As a result, the startup is entering a new phase to launch the Hemafuse in those countries. Chief Marketing Officer Katie Kirsch and COO Sajju Jain will be spending the coming months in Africa as they seek to build a support network and establish local teams.
The Hemafuse pumps blood from an internal hemhorrage into a blood bag, allowing it to be reused. The process, known as autotransfusion, can replace the need for donor blood.
Yarina said the regulatory marks a “major milestone” for the company, which deems the product safe for use in those countries.
Sisu made the announcement at an event inside its recently-opened office space on Sisson St. in Remington. While it’s a sign of putting down local roots for a company whose three cofounders relocated to Baltimore from Michigan in 2015, the announcement underscored the company’s reach beyond the city.
Yarina said the company’s core team of five people “is the tip of the iceberg for our entire network.”

As they developed the device, the cofounders connected with local resources, participating in the Dreamit Health accelerator and working with Harbor Designs and Manufacturing on producing the Hemafuse device. They’ve also received investment backing from Camden Partners, Abell Foundation and Steve Case via their Rise of the Rest pitch competition win.