CytoStorm
CytoStorm is a Laguna Hills-based MedTech startup developing the Inflex System, an extracorporeal blood-purification device that removes opioids, toxins, and cytokines in hospital ER and ICU settings for drug overdose, liver coma, and sepsis.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2018
- HeadquartersLaguna Hills, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What CytoStorm does
CytoStorm, Inc. is a privately held MedTech startup founded in 2018 and headquartered in Laguna Hills, California, that is developing the Inflex System, an extracorporeal blood-purification device intended for use in hospital emergency rooms and intensive care units. The system is designed to rapidly remove circulating drugs, toxins, and inflammatory mediators from a patient's blood in real time, with stated target indications of opioid and fentanyl overdose, liver coma (hepatic encephalopathy), and sepsis-associated cytokine storms. The two-column architecture separates plasma from whole blood via an Apheresis Column and then passes the plasma through a proprietary Inflex Smart Adsorption Column that selectively adsorbs opioids, other drugs, cytokines, and harmful metabolites before recombining and returning the blood to the patient; USC bench studies have reported 96% opioid/fentanyl removal and 88-95% cytokine removal within 90 minutes, and animal studies have been used to support human-machine interface safety.
The company's commercial model is a direct-to-hospital medical device sale into ER and ICU departments, complemented by clinician- and patient-education content channels on its website; pricing is not publicly disclosed. The product is protected by a portfolio of granted patents in multiple countries, including a patented Inflex Pump, and the leadership team combines prior FDA premarket approval (PMA) authorship and hospital commercialization experience.
CytoStorm is pre-revenue and pre-FDA-clearance. No venture, private equity, or strategic investor ownership has been disclosed beyond a single $50,000 seed funding event in August 2018, headcount is 1-10 employees, and there are no named hospital customers, channel partners, or commercial sales. The company is led by co-founders Rudy Shepard (Chairman and CEO) and Lon Stone (Chief Scientific Officer), with Anil Bhalani as President and COO and Dr. Francisco J. Valle as Chief Marketing Officer.
CytoStorm firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- CytoStorm
- Legal name
- CytoStorm, Inc.
- Website
- https://cytostorminc.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2018
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- CytoStorm is a Laguna Hills-based MedTech startup developing the Inflex System, an extracorporeal blood-purification device that removes opioids, toxins, and cytokines in hospital ER and ICU settings for drug overdose, liver coma, and sepsis.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
CytoStorm industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Medical Devices — Blood Purification
- NAICS
- Medical Laboratories (621511), In-Vitro Diagnostic Substance Manufacturing (325413)
- SIC
- Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), In Vitro & In Vivo Diagnostic Substances (2835)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Clinical Chemistry & Hematology Diagnostics (automated analyzers, blood testing) (HLAAALAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Specialty & Biomarker Laboratory Services (Immunoassays/Flow/Cytometry) (HLAGAEAB)
Keywords
Where CytoStorm is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Laguna Hills
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
CytoStorm business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels2 records
CytoStorm product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CytoStorm develops and sells the Inflex System, an extracorporeal blood-purification medical device intended for rapid emergency detoxification of drugs (including fentanyl), toxins, cytokines, and harmful metabolites in hospital ER and ICU settings. The system uses a proprietary 2-column design (Tubing Set, patented Inflex Pump, Apheresis Plasma Separator Column, and Inflex Smart Adsorption Column) to extract blood, separate plasma, selectively adsorb harmful substances, and return cleaned plasma along with blood cells to the patient.
Product overview
CytoStorm offers a single unified medical device product: the Inflex System™. This extracorporeal blood-purification system consists of multiple integrated components including a Tubing Set, a patented Inflex Pump, a Plasma Separator Column (Apheresis Column), and an Inflex Smart Adsorption Column. The system works in five stages: blood extraction from the patient, plasma separation via the Apheresis Column, directing isolated plasma to the Inflex Smart Column for selective removal of drugs (including fentanyl), toxins, cytokines, and harmful metabolites, and returning cleaned plasma combined with blood cells to the patient. It is designed for integration into ICU procedures to address drug overdoses, liver coma, and sepsis emergencies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- CytoStorm Inflex System Extracorporeal blood-purification medical device for hospital ER and ICU use that rapidly removes drugs (including fentanyl), toxins, cytokines, and harmful metabolites from a patient's blood using a proprietary 2-column design (Tubing Set, patented Inflex Pump, Plasma Separator Apheresis Column, and Inflex Smart Adsorption Column).
Quantifiable outcome
- 96% opioid removal including fentanyl in 90 minutes (USC bench study)
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use CytoStorm
Customer profileSegments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
CytoStorm technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
CytoStorm partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
CytoStorm competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Spectral Medical: Develops the Toraymyxin PMX cartridge for endotoxin removal in septic patients using extracorporeal hemoperfusion, directly overlapping with CytoStorm's sepsis/cytokine-storm use case.
- CytoSorbents Corporation: Direct competitor commercializing CytoSorb, an extracorporeal blood-purification cartridge that removes cytokines and inflammatory mediators from blood — the same therapeutic use case (sepsis/cytokine storm) that CytoStorm's Inflex Smart Adsorption Column targets.
- ExThera Medical: Develops the Seraph 100 blood-purification device for pathogen and toxin removal in critically ill patients. Competes head-to-head with CytoStorm in extracorporeal adsorption-based emergency blood detoxification.
Emerging players
- Aethlon Medical: Clinical-stage developer of the Hemopurifier, an extracorporeal blood-purification cartridge designed to remove viruses and exosomes from circulation — a comparable small-cap, pre-commercial blood-purification medtech.
- Marker Therapeutics (formerly known as Marker Therapeutics AG / HepaWash): Emerging European developer of liver support and blood-purification therapies targeting hepatic encephalopathy — directly comparable to one of CytoStorm's three primary indications.
Broad incumbents
- Terumo BCT: Major incumbent in apheresis, blood component separation, and therapeutic plasma exchange — the same plasma-separation architecture CytoStorm's Apheresis Column relies on, with established hospital sales channels.
- Haemonetics Corporation: Established blood-processing and apheresis device company with hospital sales channels overlapping the same ICU/OR procedural workflows where the Inflex System would be deployed.
- Fresenius Medical Care: Global leader in dialysis and extracorporeal blood-purification therapies with extensive hospital infrastructure. Represents the largest incumbent that CytoStorm would compete against for ICU/ER blood-purification budgets.
- Asahi Kasei Medical: Manufactures plasma separators, plasma fractionation filters, and leukocyte reduction filters used in apheresis — overlapping with CytoStorm's plasma separation and adsorption column technology.
- B. Braun Avitum: Operates one of Europe's largest networks of dialysis and apheresis centers and manufactures extracorporeal blood-treatment systems, providing established competition in therapeutic blood purification.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
CytoStorm social profiles
Digital presenceCytoStorm financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
CytoStorm leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
CytoStorm funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
CytoStorm M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about CytoStorm
What does CytoStorm do?
CytoStorm develops and sells the Inflex System, an extracorporeal blood-purification medical device intended for rapid emergency detoxification of drugs (including fentanyl), toxins, cytokines, and harmful metabolites in hospital ER and ICU settings. The system uses a proprietary 2-column design (Tubing Set, patented Inflex Pump, Apheresis Plasma Separator Column, and Inflex Smart Adsorption Column) to extract blood, separate plasma, selectively adsorb harmful substances, and return cleaned plasma along with blood cells to the patient.
Is CytoStorm a public or private company?
CytoStorm is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was CytoStorm founded?
CytoStorm was founded in 2018. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is CytoStorm based?
CytoStorm is headquartered in Laguna Hills, United States, in the North America region.
Who are CytoStorm's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Spectral Medical, CytoSorbents Corporation and ExThera Medical. Emerging players are Aethlon Medical and Marker Therapeutics (formerly known as Marker Therapeutics AG / HepaWash). Broad incumbents are Terumo BCT, Haemonetics Corporation, Fresenius Medical Care, Asahi Kasei Medical and B. Braun Avitum.
Does CytoStorm have an API?
No public API is recorded for CytoStorm.
What industry is CytoStorm in?
CytoStorm's product category is Medical Devices — Blood Purification. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAAALAH, Clinical Chemistry & Hematology Diagnostics (automated analyzers, blood testing), with a secondary code of HLAGAEAB, Specialty & Biomarker Laboratory Services (Immunoassays/Flow/Cytometry). Its NAICS code is 621511 and its SIC code is 3841.