The Client

Hemotune AG is a Swiss MedTech company headquartered in Zurich, recognised for its pioneering work in blood purification technology. Founded by Lukas Langenegger and Dr Carlos Mora, the business has developed the HemoSystem, an innovative blood purification platform that utilises non-toxic magnetic beads known as HemoBeads.

The HemoSystem is designed to selectively remove harmful compounds, including bacterial toxins and cytokines, from the bloodstream with high precision through an extracorporeal circuit comparable to a dialysis machine. The technology has demonstrated particular promise in the treatment of septic shock and broader immune-mediated conditions.

Hemotune has received international recognition for its innovation, including a Research & Development in Nanotechnology award at the 2023 Medical Device Network Excellence Awards. The company is also collaborating with major pharmaceutical organisations to explore additional applications for the platform across multiple therapeutic areas.

The Situation

In March 2024, Hemotune successfully closed a CHF 14 million Series B2 financing round to accelerate the development of the HemoSystem and support the transition from preclinical development into clinical trials. The financing was led by Belmondo, with continued support from existing investors including VP Venture Partners, HEMEX, OCCIDENT and Zürcher Kantonalbank, alongside participation from EFI.

The funding represented a significant milestone for the business and positioned Hemotune for its next phase of growth, commercial development and clinical advancement. Beyond its initial focus on sepsis-related immune suppression, the company also identified a substantial strategic opportunity within the rapidly expanding Cell & Gene Therapy market, particularly in relation to AAV-vectored therapies. Hemotune’s technology offered the potential to reduce treatment risk, broaden eligible patient populations and improve therapeutic efficacy.

To support this next stage of evolution, the Board identified the need for a new President of the Board who could provide entrepreneurial leadership, strategic guidance and international connectivity. The mandate focused on appointing an experienced life sciences leader with a successful track record in scaling venture-backed businesses, supporting commercial strategy development and driving value creation through to exit.

The successful individual also needed to bring strong investor networks, particularly within the United States, alongside the ability to mentor the executive team, strengthen partner engagement and help shape the company’s long-term positioning and governance structure. Cultural fit was equally critical, with the company seeking a mission-driven technology enthusiast genuinely motivated by the potential patient impact of the platform.

RSA conducted an international search targeting senior executives and board leaders across MedTech, Cell & Gene Therapy and advanced therapeutics sectors, with particular emphasis on entrepreneurial leadership experience and strategic financing expertise.

The Outcome

RSA successfully completed the appointment of Harald Casebourne-Stock as President of the Board.

Harald brought extensive international leadership experience across high-growth healthcare and life sciences organisations, together with a strong track record in strategic development, investment engagement and organisational scaling. His appointment strengthened Hemotune’s Board leadership as the company entered clinical development and expanded its strategic ambitions within precision medicine and Cell & Gene Therapy applications.

The appointment positioned Hemotune to further refine its commercial strategy, deepen investor and partner relationships and continue building long-term value as it advanced towards broader clinical and commercial milestones.