NHS medtech projects receive half a million funding

Four medical technology projects have been awarded between £80,000 and £125,000 each by the Medtech Accelerator.

Launched as a joint venture between the NHS and regional business partners such as Health Enterprise East (HEE), Medtech Accelerator provides funding to medical technologies in the early stages of development.

The four projects are based in a range of NHS Trusts across the country and include technologies to help treat conditions and make procedures easier.

Ablatus Therapeutics, a spin-out company from Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, received £124,000 for its technology that helps destroy tumours and prevent surrounding tissue damage. The company’s Bimodal Electric Tissue Ablation (BETA) uses a combination of AC and DC power to prevent tissue damage created by charring and to increase the size of the zone which can be treated.

A device developed by Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was awarded £125,000 for helping to treat leaks in the upper gastrointestinal (UGI) tract. The endoluminal vacuum device (E-Vac) addresses UGI leaks and can be potentially used as an alternative to surgery.  

A non-invasive sleep apnoea diagnostic device developed by Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust was awarded £124,724 for helping to diagnose obstructive sleep apnoea. The money will be used develop prototype devices that will be tested within Papworth’s Respiratory Support and Sleep Centre.

Lastly, £80,000 was given to the Safer Injection for Regional Anaesthesia (Safira) project for providing a quicker and cheaper method for regional anaesthetic which also reduces any associated risks. Safira eliminates the need for a second healthcare professional and allows the anaesthetist to control the entire delivery of anaesthetic.

Commenting on the newly-funded projects, Dr Anne Blackwood, CEO of Health Enterprise East, said:

“Without the proper funding, brilliant innovations can go unrecognised and fail to get developed altogether, much to the detriment of the NHS. Medtech Accelerator supports medtech innovators in the crucial early stages of growth, with funding that will help them get to market faster. We are delighted to issue our second round of awards, which when combined with our first round of awards launched earlier this year totals £670k for seven projects – all of which have the potential to become game-changers in the NHS and life-changing for patients.”