Periodic Reporting for period 1 - a-Doc (Intelligent Personalised Disease Monitoring Device: a-Doc)
Reporting period: 2022-07-01 to 2023-06-30
Six hundred million people globally suffer from autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriasis, and multiple sclerosis. The symptoms can be severe, causing intense pain and suffering for patients. The cost of RA alone for Europe is in excess of €45 billion p.a.
A growing need: Unlike diabetes patients for example who can measure their own blood sugar levels, there is currently no method to measure disease activity quickly and accurately for autoimmune patients, non-invasively at home. Furthermore, most autoimmune diseases have unpredictable flares in disease activity despite stable medication, and the causes of such flares differ between patients and are largely unidentifiable.
Kaass Discovery is developing a deep-tech innovation, an Artificial Intelligence approach to the Monitoring of Autoimmune Diseases at Home with a Novel Biomarker Algorithm. We are developing a highly novel, deep tech solution to allow autoimmune disease patients to self-manage their conditions and minimize or even eliminate the symptoms of autoimmune diseases. The solution, which we call ‘a-Doc’, uses a biological sample to indicate disease activity and provide an accurate, instantaneous value. In line with this need, it is also low cost, accurate and simple to use ensuring it is suitable for home use. The data collected from the device will be sent to the Kaass Discovery Cloud for improving the predictive analytical models, giving an individualized meaningful result to the user on their mobile device
The aims of the Women TechEU program align perfectly with the needs of Kaass Discovery. The business coaching support provided will ensure we are prepared and able to successfully commercialize this exciting technology.
A growing need: Unlike diabetes patients for example who can measure their own blood sugar levels, there is currently no method to measure disease activity quickly and accurately for autoimmune patients, non-invasively at home. Furthermore, most autoimmune diseases have unpredictable flares in disease activity despite stable medication, and the causes of such flares differ between patients and are largely unidentifiable.
Kaass Discovery is developing a deep-tech innovation, an Artificial Intelligence approach to the Monitoring of Autoimmune Diseases at Home with a Novel Biomarker Algorithm. We are developing a highly novel, deep tech solution to allow autoimmune disease patients to self-manage their conditions and minimize or even eliminate the symptoms of autoimmune diseases. The solution, which we call ‘a-Doc’, uses a biological sample to indicate disease activity and provide an accurate, instantaneous value. In line with this need, it is also low cost, accurate and simple to use ensuring it is suitable for home use. The data collected from the device will be sent to the Kaass Discovery Cloud for improving the predictive analytical models, giving an individualized meaningful result to the user on their mobile device
The aims of the Women TechEU program align perfectly with the needs of Kaass Discovery. The business coaching support provided will ensure we are prepared and able to successfully commercialize this exciting technology.
Dr Kåss has had fruitful meetings with Elsa Papadopoulou as well as attending the informative lectures for WomenTech beneficiaries. We have upgraded our business plan including the growth and exploitation strategy. We have expanded our team, finding partners, preparing the company for investment, enhancing team communications skills (pitching), financials, sales and marketing collateral. We have identified target customer profile, engaging with the customer, and obtained feedback. In parallel we have further developed our medical device to support its future development scientifically and commercially. This aided our assessment of commercial and sales channels. We have discussed our IPR strategy with our patent attorneys. We have built a solid foundation for further development of our product.
The funding has resulted in a proof-of-concept device where we have investigated the sample separation pad, conjugation pad, gold nanoparticles, various markers, reading time, sample volume, optical vs non optical readouts, and multiplexing giving reasonable sensitivity and specificity vs ELISA samples. Our confidential test results have supported further development of our deep tech a-Doc project.We have therefore started our application for the Transition Challenge to further develop our medical device. We are therefore preparing a proposal for further funding within the EIC framework.