Low-cost sleep apnoea screening device

Innovate UK has awarded a grant to Apnea-Tech Limited to complete a feasibility study on a radical, low cost scanning device to be used by clinicians and healthcare professionals to scan people for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).

OSA is a chronic respiratory condition characterised by frequent episodes of upper airway collapse during sleep, inhibiting normal respiration. This results in poor sleep quality and daytime drowsiness. About 90% of people who experience apnoeic events have OSA. OSA is linked to diabetes, hypertension and other cardiovascular diseases.

Research estimates that 936 million people globally suffer from OSA. Even in developed markets, over 70% remain undiagnosed and therefore untreated. In the UK it is estimated that 1.5 million people have OSA but currently only 330,000 are diagnosed and treated. OSA can be treated effectively, with 85% of patients using CPAP devices.

Apnea-Tech has identified a clear and unmet need internationally for a low-cost diagnostic aid that assists clinicians to identify people with sleep apnoea. Research shows that increasing the diagnosis of sleep apnoea will decrease healthcare costs, improve the patients' quality of life and reduce societal costs (fewer work related injuries).

Current diagnostic aides are only available through specialist clinics, are expensive to purchase, use relatively expensive consumables and are used by multiple patients, requiring increased cleaning protocols for infection control. Apnea-Tech's transformational ApneScan concept has three advantages over current OSA diagnostic technology:

* Low cost * Simplicity of use * Disposable single-user device

The company is forecasting a significant market opportunity for its technology, benefiting patients and clinicians. A research report from Office of Health Economics Consulting and the British Lung Foundation concluded that increasing diagnosis and treatment of OSA to cover all patients with moderate-to-severe OSA will reduce NHS costs by £28m per year and prevent up to 40,000 fatigue-related accidents in the UK, saving costs of £930m.

The primary objective of the Innovate UK funded development project is to assess the feasibility of a low-cost obstructive sleep apnoea scanning device. There are four main deliverables: 1. Several proof-of-concept demonstrator devices 2. Initial usage assessment 3. Commercialisation plan 4. Patent application

Apnea-Tech Limited is a newly-formed start-up MedTech SME which is led by two highly-skilled and experienced individuals recognised as experts in medical device development, sensor development and evaluation, respiratory monitoring, advanced analysis techniques, data management, business development and commercialisation, and project management.