|
Forus Health gets Rs. 4 cr from DBT to develop ROP test device Neo under BIPP
|
|
Nandita Vijay, Bengaluru
November 27 , 2015
|
|
|
The department of biotechnology (DBT) has provided a Rs.4-crore
grant to Forus Health, an ophthalmology medical startup, to develop
Neo, a device used to test retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) among new
born infants.
The grant is disbursed under the Biotechnology
Industry Partnership Programme (BIPP) on a cost-sharing basis for a
three- year period for which the device is now under validation.
For
the research and product development, Forus has teamed up with two
partners: Narayana Nethralaya which was the clinical partner and
responsible for requirements validation and clinical trials, and IIT
Chennai for algorithm development. The onus of developing the device and
installing it at medical centres for large scale deployment across one
state was on Forus.
Now, Narayana Nethralaya is solely
responsible for all clinical inputs from validation and joint research
programmes. “In the past, we have entered into an agreement with the
Narayana Nethralaya Foundation for conducting studies related to
adaptive optics and multi-modality ophthalmology imaging system. Now,
with Neo, we have completed the safety and efficiency tests. The results
are promising and we have also started a multi centre study in
Karnataka. The ROP teams in Mangaluru, Bengaluru, Raichur and Davanagere
have commenced device evaluation. Over 600 babies and 1,200 eyes were
screened after the Ethics Committee clearance came through,” Dr Shyam
Vasudeva Rao, managing director, Forus Health, told Pharmabiz.
India
accounts for over 3.5 million premature born infants annually. ROP, a
leading cause of infant blindness globally, is reported to impact one in
three babies in India born less than 2,000 grams. About 10 per cent of
them turn blind within two months of birth if not detected and treated
on time.
In 2013, Forus researched and developed ‘3nethra’, an
intelligent pre-screening ophthalmology device that detects five eye
ailments: cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, retina and cornea
problems.
The company is now working out a strategy to improve
the country’s visual health with the department of science and
technology (DST) and the DBT to maximise the use of this technology to
prevent blindness.
With 3nethra, cardiac, nephrology and
neurology diseases are detected using the eye as biomarker for diagnosis
of systemic problems. In addition, the device can also detect
haemoglobin levels and malnutrition in women and children, he said.
Forus
had a fund infusion of $5 million from IDG Ventures and Accel Partners.
It went on to expand its R&D and also launch 3nethra Royal version
which generates automatic pre-screen report using auto-refractometry. It
has also embarked on a sales and distribution network expansion in
India and abroad.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOPICS
|
That foods might provide therapeutic benefits is clearly not a new concept. ...
|
|
|
|
|