, Autor w serwisie Anita Kijanka

Health Tech of the Week: SDS Optic S.A. – A Breakthrough in Cancer Diagnostics

utworzone przez | | BUSINESS, HEALTHTECH, HEALTHTECh of the week

In today’s edition of the Health Tech of the Week series, I present SDS Optic S.A., a company that has undertaken the mission to change the face of cancer diagnostics by introducing innovative inPROBE technology, promising to revolutionize the detection and monitoring of tumors.

Modern medicine faces enormous challenges, among which the fight against cancer stands out. The statistics are alarming – nearly 10 million people die of this disease every year. Breast cancer has already surpassed lung cancer as the most frequently diagnosed cancer worldwide. Each year, about 1.7 million new cases are reported, and nearly half a million deaths occur. The founders of SDS Optic S.A. aimed to create a solution that not only addresses this problem but also solves the issues with the imperfections of existing diagnostic methods. The traditional approach, requiring invasive biopsy and a long wait for results, is not only painful for patients but also prone to human error, which can delay diagnosis and the implementation of appropriate treatment. The solution to these problems is inPROBE – a technology that allows for immediate and precise diagnosis of cancer biomarkers without the need for tissue extraction from the patient.

30 % by 2030

The vision that motivates and drives the entire team is to increase cancer survival rates by 30% by the year 2030. In 2017, the WHO published a list of recommended procedures and medical services that should be applied at an early stage of the disease to improve the chances of curing patients with cancer. The main conclusion was to emphasize the need for the global development of early cancer diagnostics, which saves lives and significantly reduces the costs associated with treatment.

To encourage decision-makers worldwide to take action in this direction, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) were defined. One of these goals is to reduce by one-third the premature deaths caused by cancer by 2030. A similar goal was included in the mission of the European Commission in 2021, which deals with combating cancer diseases within the „Horizon Europe” program. SDS Optic S.A. identifies with this goal and therefore develops technologies for diagnosing cancer, infectious, and fungal diseases that support saving lives and health.

Painless and Effective Diagnostics

The inPROBE technology uses advanced photonics and molecular biology to identify and measure the concentration of cancer biomarkers in real-time and directly in the patient’s body. What sets inPROBE apart from traditional methods is its lower invasiveness, speed of obtaining results, and the ability to monitor the disease area precisely, not limiting itself to the analysis of an isolated tissue sample. Currently, biopsy and histopathological examination are the standards in cancer diagnostics. Biopsies are often painful, and waiting for results can be long, posing a serious problem. The speed of implementing appropriate treatment is crucial for recovery and survival rates. It should be added that currently functioning diagnostic methods only examine a sampled tumor section, not the entire disease focus (tumor and its surroundings). Moreover, measurements of this tissue sample after several days or weeks do not achieve the same parameters in the laboratory as measurements of living tissue directly in the human body.

The technology is being developed as a technological platform that can be used to monitor the effectiveness of therapy in real-time and under natural conditions (in vivo). Fiber optics quickly transmit collected data, and SDS Optic S.A.’s proprietary algorithm analyzes it and converts it into objective and accurate medical results in real-time. This means that in the future, there may be no need to wait several weeks for final results. Such a change will not only save time but also reduce stress for patients waiting for a test result.

The Gold Standard of the Future

As representatives of SDS Optic S.A. say, every groundbreaking discovery in medical history that eventually became known as the „Gold standard” had to undergo a natural process that lasted many years, supported by a wide range of stakeholders (including doctors, global companies, scientific organizations, and foundations). This was the case with magnetic resonance imaging, the first tomograph, or ultrasound examinations. Today, no one wonders which company developed or commercialized the resonance or tomograph. Only the diagnostic method, which is reliable and permanently assigned to certain disease entities, is mentioned. Scientists are currently working to ensure that the inPROBE technology enters global diagnostic practice, not only in oncology but also in infectious and fungal diseases as a new diagnostic method, and that in a few years, it can be widely used, including in molecular cancer diagnostics. The company has been listed on the NewConnect stock exchange since March 2022.

I invite you to continue following the „Health Tech of the Week” series, where we will discover more fascinating stories from the world of medical technologies that are changing the face of healthcare. If you are running an innovative project in the field of new technologies and medicine or want to recommend an interesting solution, contact us at: [email protected].

HealthTech of the Week: How to take care of the quality of your sleep with Clebre?

utworzone przez | | HEALTHTECH

Everyone knows that sleep is necessary for our health. Unfortunately, we often forget that the quality of our regeneration is affected not only by the number of hours slept but also by whether we breathe properly during sleep. Clebre is a Polish medical startup creating sensors for home sleep quality measurement connected to an application that enables convenient therapy for sleep apnea and breathing disorders during sleep. Dr. Wojciech Kukwa, co-founder and acting CEO of Clebre, shares details about the project. Read this article and get to know how to take care of the quality of your sleep!

Where did the idea for Clebre come from?

Several years ago, as part of the Healthy Sleep Foundation, we conducted almost 6,000 surveys among parents of children in the early grades of primary school. The research focused on very common problems in children—mouth breathing, snoring, restless sleep, recurrent upper respiratory tract infections. It was a fascinating study, especially because we were able to refer many children for further diagnostics and treatment in otolaryngology departments. This motivated me to search for a solution that would allow for simple and inexpensive measurements of breathing quality at home, initially in children and later in adults. A system that would enable home diagnostics and therapy for this problem.

What was supposed to set this new solution apart?

Our screening study was entirely based on surveys filled out by parents. This means that they had to be aware of the problem and monitor their child’s sleep. Such observation can never be precise. Along with Maciej Migacz and Marcel Młyńczak, we concluded that the optimal solution would be continuous breath recording using a sensor and further, increasingly automated analysis of this signal. We built the first, very simple prototype and confirmed the functionality of this proof of concept.

What stage is the work with the device currently at?

In the coming months, we plan to produce the first series of sensors available for use. We aim to monitor sleep and breathing in both adults and children. We have a wide range of interested laryngologists who want to monitor breathing disorders in their patients using this method and assess progress in treatment.

What is the awareness of the need for diagnosing breathing disorders during sleep in Poland?

A good question! Currently, this awareness is not widespread, among potential patients as well as among doctors. However, the topic of sleep quality and breathing is becoming increasingly popular due to interest in mindfulness, a healthy lifestyle, and longevity. It’s worth mentioning that untreated apnea can shorten the life of the affected person by as much as 12-14 years!

How do you raise awareness about breathing issues?

We try to educate about breathing problems among children and women—these social groups are often overlooked in diagnostics. Along with Dr. Wojciech Falęcki, a gynecologist, we posted about the importance of breathing during pregnancy. The response from pregnant women was tremendous. Also, the issue of breathing disorders in children is widespread, and incorporating the Clebre sensor into monitoring children’s breathing will help address these problems.

What is the awareness of this issue globally?

In the EU, the US, or Australia, there is greater awareness of the problem. Diagnosis affects millions of people. However, it’s still a 'one-night diagnosis’ where the patient spends a night in the hospital connected to a complicated device. Both women and men, adults and children, are examined in the same way. Regarding sleep breathing disorders, we are where we were with hypertension treatment over 30 years ago. At that time, no patient had a blood pressure monitor at home and couldn’t control their blood pressure daily. Similarly, apnea, like hypertension, is a chronic disease that requires patient monitoring.

What is Clebre’s biggest advantage?

We are preparing a service that will eventually be so automated that it will guide the patient through the treatment process. There are many different devices that measure breathing and sleep quality. However, most of them are complex, expensive devices that will never reach patients’ homes. We are working on a solution where the application along with the sensor will allow the patient to navigate through the entire therapy process, not just measure. Of course, with medical support, but at a scale small enough to be 'scalable.’ If we want sleep medicine to be personalized, we have no choice. We need to automate this process to some extent. There are about 3.5 million people in Poland who should be diagnosed and treated for apnea. There aren’t and won’t be enough doctors to handle these patients properly. So, we are preparing a process supported by sensors and algorithms. We leave specific therapeutic steps to the doctors, such as performing a procedure or selecting a CPAP machine or an intraoral device.

Clebre is currently in the stage of preparing a series of sensors in the final production technology. The startup will develop both a medical certification line and a lifestyle line for monitoring sleep quality in individuals who do not require conventional sleep apnea treatment. An important part of the project is collecting data that will enable gradual automation of the treatment process for patients with sleep breathing disorders.

HealthTech in the media. How to practically create a good press release?

utworzone przez | | BUSINESS, COMMUNICATION

When communicating with technology startups, it is worth betting on longer content, such as a press release, in your efforts. An article or a traditional press release, used at the right moment, can give us very good coverage. Why?

Not just social media. What’s the purpose of media relations?

Healthcare startups often use modern forms of dialogue with target groups. These can include social media, mailing, or blogs. Some of the proponents of these solutions claim that this form of communication is now more accessible to the audience and thus – more effective. Our inclination towards short forms also stems from the belief that the ideal texts are short texts (because they are more memorable). Not only is the message shorter, but you can also use emojis and include multimedia content. This may seem to make it much easier to show how our technology works in more detail.

What’s more, it is said that the most searched content on the Internet is that which contains about 1,400 words. However, let me assure you that a universal text length does not exist. Often, by shortening the text, we create content that does not sound natural. In the case of the HealthTech industry, we run the risk that our short message may abound in too many foreign-sounding names, and nomenclature known only to us, and thus become incomprehensible to the „ordinary” user.

What should you pay attention to?

Thus, the length of the text should be adjusted each time to the purpose and place of publication. By the same token, not only short posts or testimonials are important for the effectiveness of a communication campaign – especially in the HealthTech industry. Our consumers should understand exactly what benefits they will gain by deciding to buy our product or choose our service. Therefore, a longer form may be better for us than even a Facebook post.

A press release (press release, press deposition) is one of the basic tools of every promotional and PR specialist used in contacting the media. By virtue of its formula, it significantly helps to convey information about technology products or services. This is especially important in communicating new solutions of the HealthTech industry, when it is worth explaining to consumers how our product works and what benefits it provides. Keep in mind that our audience may be ( by virtue of age) accustomed to traditional forms of communication, and treat social media rather trivially. What else should we keep in mind?

Press releases are not as long as they used to be.

Nowadays, a press release should be concise and clear, in order to quickly convey the most important information – without unnecessarily wasting the reader’s time. While a few years ago the standard press release was 1.5 – 2 pages, now many PR consultants suggest that our announcement should not exceed 1 A4 page in volume.

Invariably, our press release should answer three basic questions: what happened, who is involved, and why it is important. These questions help you quickly understand the information, what the article is about, and who it might be of interest to.

Facts are always more important than opinions.

In a press release, the focus should be on facts and documented information, not on the author’s subjective opinions – then we are talking about a feature, which is unlikely to work in our promotional campaign. Facts are more reliable and can be verified by the reader.

Avoid success propaganda in a press release.

In a press release, avoid excessive self-promotion and false information to boost a positive image of a company or organization. Let’s not write that our product is revolutionary. It would be better if we write about the standards, technical standards that the product meets and in what everyday situations it will be used.

After writing the press release, take care of its dissemination.

After writing a press release, it is important to take care of its dissemination, for example, by sending it to the media or making it available on the website.

Technical aspects of the press release are important.

In a press release, technical aspects such as text layout, headlines, photo captions, etc., are important and determine how accessible our publication is. This is especially important if you are communicating new technologies. Sometimes quoting an expert in communication allows the reader to understand what benefits he or she will get by using our product or service. In the HealthTech industry, it’s best to use the opinion of a doctor or other health care professional or foundation that conducts activities related to a particular disease entity.

The devil is in the details.

In a press release, details are key because they help readers better understand the article and increase its credibility. A paraphrase works well, such as „The technology used in the solution nullifies the problems of sinus disease. With the XX device, we will get rid of runny nose, and sinus pain and breath easier.”

Stand out or die.

Imitation can be harmful and mislead our audience. In a press release, it is important to be original and present your own opinion, and innovation of your service/product.

Follow up, or stay in touch with journalists.

Journalists are often looking for interesting topics to write articles or videos about. By contacting them, we can introduce our new products or services, which will help build our brand in the media. When contacting journalists NEVER send a collective email to all of them. Approach each of them individually, and write individual emails. Each journalist needs different arguments to get them interested in your topic.

Want to learn more? Use our checklists, which are available for download here.

Image source: Canva.com.

Health Tech of the Week: SDS Optic S.A. – A Breakthrough in Cancer Diagnostics