“In the latest episode of The Affected podcast, we spoke with Zak Marks and James Cohen, co-founders of Kitt Medical, who are on a mission to revolutionize emergency response for anaphylaxis. The duo shared their journey of developing a groundbreaking anaphylactic device, a defibrillator-like kit designed to treat life-threatening allergic reactions in public spaces.“
Understanding Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis can be triggered by many things such as food, stings, or exposure to certain materials (such as latex). For some, these triggers can cause an immense sense of anxiety out of the fear of having a reaction. Zak framed this perfectly during our conversation: “I pretty much grew up on a diet of plain pasta, butter, and salt. I didn’t have to, but I was so worried about my allergies that it was the best option for me.”
Zak’s first allergic reaction caused by cross-contamination was a pivotal moment that shaped his discovery and understanding of allergies and anaphylaxis. “I was offered peanut butter on toast by my best friend’s mum and instinctively hated the smell of it. I asked for just butter on toast, but because there was cross-contamination with the knife, it was enough (just from the traces) to give me severe swelling, stomach pains, and vomiting. Thankfully, not full-blown anaphylaxis, but it was enough for me to identify that something was wrong.”
Although not everybody with an allergy can suffer with anaphylaxis, often the severity of allergies is unknown until someone is having a full-blown reaction.
Co-Founder & CEO of Kitt Medical, Zak Marks, came up with the idea at university as a product designer living with severe nut allergies.
Early Recognition: The Difference Between Survival and Tragedy
Allergies, regardless of severity, are sometimes not treated with the same care as other health conditions. Most allergies we know such as hay fever (allergy to pollen) and pet allergies can be swept under the carpet as ‘just’ a runny nose, hives, and itchy eyes, which are the common symptoms of less aggressive allergic reactions. However, failing to recognize the seriousness of allergic reactions can have devastating consequences. There are a number of possible signs that indicate someone could be entering anaphylaxis:
Airway (A): swelling in the throat, tongue or upper airways (tightening of the throat, hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing)
Breathing (B): sudden onset wheezing, breathing difficulty, noisy breathing
Circulation (C): dizziness, feeling faint, sudden sleepiness, tiredness, confusion, pale clammy skin, loss of consciousness
Any one of these signs/symptoms is enough to warrant the immediate use of an adrenaline auto-injector.
Zak and James highlighted the importance of recognizing allergies as early as possible: “I knew that there were fundamental stigmas surrounding allergies and how people with allergies were treated” James said. “My sister has allergies, and I have a penicillin allergy – not that this is relevant day to day, but I knew this, coupled up with people I know having allergies, with the stigma added on top, indicated that I needed to do something.”
Zak added to this, explaining that even those with anaphylaxis can forget the severity of what they could potentially go through. “It’s common that you don’t carry your adrenaline pens as often as you should. They’re bulky, easy to forget, and they expire every year. So, I think there’s this assumption that when you don’t use them, you think you don’t need them. Then, when you have a reaction and you don’t have it, this is when loss of life occurs because there’s a lack of urgency around allergies.”
Since launching in January 2023, Kitt Medical has provided over 750 Kitts to organisations all across the UK, training 13,000 people and treating 9 life-threatening allergic reactions in the process.
The Role of Epinephrine (Adrenaline) and Kitt Medical
Adrenaline pens, also known as an EpiPen or Jext pen, is what most anaphylaxis sufferers will rely on when they have a reaction. Adrenaline pens typically have a 9-13 month shelf life and aren’t a true ‘cure’ for when someone is in anaphylaxis. Best practice is to call 999 and allow emergency services to deal with aftercare, in case of a delayed or biphasic reaction (where the symptoms come back after a first dose of treatment). Depending on the scenario, multiple shots of adrenaline may need to be administered to properly tackle the symptoms of anaphylaxis.
Kitt Medical’s mission is to revolutionize how adrenaline pens are distributed, making it accessible for schools and qualifying businesses through a wall-mounted ‘Kitt’ (like a defibrillator, but for allergies). While adrenaline is a critical first line of defense, Kitt Medical’s solution enhances accessibility and preparedness by monitoring and replacing the pens before they go out of date, or if they’re used in an emergency. By placing wall-mounted kits in over 500 qualified venues across the UK, as well as and offering online training for staff, they ensure individuals and organizations are ready to respond effectively.
James explained that there is a willingness for people to cater for those with anaphylaxis, and that it’s important to raise awareness of how beneficial these kits can be. “You saw in COVID what hospitality venues and workplaces were willing to do to make people feel comfortable in any given environment” he said. “Why can’t this kind of community come together to put relevant healthcare provisions in place in the same way they do with defibs, bleed kits, or stab vests?”
Zak added: “There is a huge amount of awareness that can be raised every time a kit is used. Allergic reactions are happening every single day, and we’d rather hear about the positives of someone surviving than the news of someone dying because of lack of accessibility.”
The Anaphylaxis Kitt training course features healthcare professionals including Professor Adam Fox, who talks through adrenaline pen guidance for treating severe allergic reactions.
Impact and The Future of Kitt Medical
The team at Kitt Medical have been laser-focused on ensuring a noticeable impact is made from their product. Zak highlighted that creating a quality product was paramount. “We had investors saying for us to explore cheaper manufacturing options, but for us it was important to not sacrifice on quality or compromise on having our kit made in the UK.”
It was incredible to hear about the lasting impact of their product. When asked about how they felt, Zak said “I was in tears. Hearing that the thing you created actually did the job it was made for is just incredible. I kept asking myself – is this going to work? Do I feel proud of what I created?”
James added, “In under two years our kits have been used 9 times to treat life-threatening allergic reactions, and around 50% of those were people that didn’t know they had allergies. A recent example of this was a beekeeper who had been stung many times before but then developed anaphylaxis to that bee sting. Allergies can shift and change constantly, so having access to our kit can potentially mean the difference between life and death for those who don’t have an awareness of what they’re suffering with.”
The future sounds incredibly bright for Kitt Medical, and both Zak and James expressed the gratitude for the team that they have in place. “The team we have now, is a dream team” Zak said. “I’ve known some of our team for most of my life and it makes such a difference. I get to work with my friends every day and that’s something really special.” James added: “Our end goal is to have our standardized kit in every location possible. We also want to achieve this whilst staying true to our core values and mission as an organization.”
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Kitt Medical’s Anaphylaxis Kitt service can only be purchased by registered UK schools and qualifying businesses with an occupational health scheme, as per the UK Human Medicines Regulations, Schedule 17. To find out more and make an enquiry, go to www.kittmedical.com
