UNITED KINGDOM – Novartis has launched the Novartis Biome UK Heart Health Catalyst, an initiative seeking healthtech start-ups developing digital tools to enhance the prevention and management of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
To tackle the conditions’ major risk factors, the drugmaker’s UK division is teaming up with Medtronic, along with RYSE Asset Management, plus the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and its official charity, CW+.
The initiative aims to identify and implement solutions that empower patients to improve their heart health, and to help prevent future heart attacks or strokes through home-based digital solutions.
The focus is on the major risk factors, non-invasive ways of lipid testing and blood pressure management using software as a medical device (SaMD).
The London-based Novartis Biome UK incubator will provide its drug development expertise, while Medtronic will offer up support in medtech development.
And by leaning on digital solutions and new models of care, Novartis hopes to tackle disparities in healthcare on a wider scale, said Marie-Andrée Gamache, president of Novartis Innovative Medicines for the UK and Ireland.
She added that “through leveraging digital solutions, new models of care, and leading on cross-industry and investor collaboration, Novartis…is accelerating sustainable action on health inequalities at pace and scale.“
The initiative aims to identify and implement solutions that empower patients to improve their heart health, and to help prevent future heart attacks or strokes through home-based digital solutions.
Investment
At the same time, RYSE Asset Management will provide up to £3 million (US$3.6 million) in investments to finance the projects, and the trust’s CW Innovation program will build a real-world data program to help evaluate the developers’ performance in NHS clinics.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has demanded the radical acceleration of our digital health programs,” said Chris Chaney, CEO of CW+ and co-lead of CW Innovation, which earlier this year funded projects aiming to develop more eco-friendly anesthesia and hospital-at-home efforts for dermatology, pregnancy complications and Alzheimer’s disease.
Under the initiative, applications are open from now until August 31 to healthtech start-up founders, researchers and technologists developing solutions to enable system-wide change in CVD patient care pathways.
Applications are open to health-tech start-up founders, researchers, and technologists working on innovative solutions to enable system-wide change in cardiovascular disease (CVD) patient care pathways.
Shortlisted organizations and individuals will be welcomed to a Pitchfest in front of an expert audience from across the healthcare system at the Healthcare Excellence Through Technology (HETT) conference in September 2022.
Successful applicants entering The Novartis Biome Heart Health Catalyst 2022 will be given support and advice from industry leaders and investor partners.
Those who are successful will also receive an investment of up to £3m, with access to a worldwide network of distribution partners from RYSE Asset Management.
Additionally, successful applicants will have access to the Novartis Biome UK system, alongside immediate NHS pilot and validation opportunities.
The Novartis Biome UK is leading this first of its kind investor partnership, combining its patient pathway knowledge with Medtronic’s experience as the global leader in healthcare technology.
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