NEWS
Human gas capsule wins funding to push smart pill to market
RMIT “smart pills” that could beat gut-busting diseases are one of six novel Australian digital health technologies to win funding in the inaugural round of the ANDHealth+ Program.
Announced Tuesday, the program provides $60,000 to the six innovations, as well as tailored advice and support to commercialise the digital health technologies.
ANDHealth is Australia’s first industry led not-for-profit accelerator program for digital health breakthroughs and aims to take products from Australia to the world.
Managing Director for ANDHealth, Bronwyn Le Grice, said demand for the first program was exceptionally strong with over 55 applications received from companies across the country.
“We were genuinely overwhelmed by the number and quality of applications,” Le Grice said.
“The exceptional quality of the first cohort of companies is a clear indication of the global potential of our digital health sector and we are delighted to be working with such innovative and dynamic teams.”
The Human Gas Capsule, or smart pill, journeys through and measures gas levels in the gastrointestinal tract.
The high-tech gas sensing capsules send data from inside the gut direct to a mobile phone, opening new possibilities for diagnosis, treatment and health analysis.
The new technology could have a significant impact on the medical industry and public health sectors, leading to new point-of-care diagnostics and diet- or drug-based therapies for gastrointestinal diseases.
Lead investigator, Dr Kyle Berean, said it was an honour to be selected for the ANDHealth+ Program, and to work with such successful and innovative companies.
“To have guidance from the ANDHealth industry participants is unique among accelerators and is crucial for us in the commercialisation of this technology,” Berean said.
“Commercialising connected medical devices is a highly specific skill and ANDHealth has brought a strong and experienced team to the table that we would not have been able to access otherwise.
“The ANDHealth+ process allowed us to look deeply at the areas that mattered for our business to ensure success. As an innovation based on academic discovery, the commercial guidance from the ANDHealth program will be vital in commercialising this research project.”
Recent human trials have shown that the pills work and are harmless.
Story: Rebecca Shepherd & James Giggacher