Roche and Microsoft join forces to improve healthcare in Egypt

Roche and Microsoft have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to improve patient healthcare outcomes using artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud technology.

The MoU will be implemented in Egypt with a roadmap to roll out the concept across the Middle East, including Egypt, KSA, UAE, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Lebanon, Jordan, Iraq, and Syria.

Through the collaboration the two firms will explore technology and third-party AI solutions to optimise the patient journey beyond treatment and aid early diagnosis.

Roche Egypt general manager, Dr Mohamed Swilam, said: “The power of technology, data, and analytics can innovate the healthcare ecosystem and improve patient outcomes in ways we’ve never seen before.”

Healthtech startup Sunrise raises €6.5 million for sleep apnea solution

Belgian healthtech firm Sunrise has announced the closure of a €3.25 million fundraising round led by Kurma Partners with participation from the Vives-IUF fund linked to UCLouvain and Namur Invest.

Sunrise plans to launch and internationally market its first diagnostic product for sleep apnea, which uses a 3-gram sensor, coupled with artificial intelligence (AI).

In addition to the funding round, there is also €3.25 million in non-dilutive funding from the European Innovation Council and the Walloon Region.

Sunrise CEO and cofounder, Laurent Martinot, said: "We have developed the measurement of a new biosignal: we analyse mandibular movements during sleep. The sensor communicates with a mobile application. The data collected is processed thanks to AI and can be transmitted to the doctor the next morning. This saves time and makes diagnosis easier.”

Iktos and the University of Dundee partner to design drugs for tropical diseases            

Drug design firm Iktos has announced a collaboration with the University of Dundee’s drug discovery unit (DDU) to identify therapeutics for tropical diseases impacting the poorest people in the world.

The university will apply Iktos’ de novo ligand and structure-based generative modelling technologies, AI-based retrosynthesis analysis and planning tool SpayaTM to help identify potential pre-clinical candidates and additional novel chemical matter with suitable properties.

Professor Paul Wyatt, head of DDU said: “We are thrilled to be working with Iktos to drive our projects towards drug candidates. Iktos’ AI platform combined with our own in-house computational and medicinal chemistry design teams provide a powerful combination for innovative new drug design.”

MedTech Europe welcomes amendment to IVD regulation transitional provisions

Trade association MedTech Europe has welcomed the adoption of the European Commission’s proposal to amend transitional provisions of the new EU In Vitro Diagnostic (IVD) Medical Devices Regulation.

The amendment mitigates the risk that medical tests for all clinical areas on the market, including those detecting COVID-19, would no longer be available from May 2022.

MedTech Europe CEO, Serge Bernasconi, said: “The decision to amend the transitional provisions of the IVD Regulation comes at the last moment to ensure that medical tests can remain available to Europe’s patients and healthcare systems.

“It is now important that regulators address the remaining critical questions that will support the certification before the end of the new deadlines of more than 32,000 medical tests on the market today, as well as the certification of innovative diagnostics that are in the pipeline and will address unmet medical needs.”