A University of Manchester spin-out behind a medical device designed to detect life-threatening infections will begin its first clinical trial following a £1.4 million investment boost. Through its iPad mini-sized device, MicroBioSensor aims to help people with kidney failure undergoing peritoneal dialysis.
Based at The University of Manchester’s Innovation Centre (UMIC), MicroBioSensor recently secured the finance from the Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund (NPIF) and Catapult Ventures. MicroBioSensor CEO Dr Gordon Barker (pictured) said: “2018 is going to be a very important year for our 11-strong team as we look to run our first clinical trial which will last through to the second quarter of 2019. Essentially, this is all about detecting potentially life-threatening infections early, to improve treatment outcomes.”
Dr Barker said that of the 50,000 to 60,000 people in the UK on renal replacement therapy, less than 10% are on peritoneal dialysis. “One of the reasons for this is because people are worried about infection in the peritoneal cavity. Our device plugs into the equipment that dialysis patients use every day and detects emerging infections in this space, which potentially means keeping people on peritoneal dialysis for longer. If the clinical trial goes well, we’ll be able to start selling the medical device for use in hospitals and clinics. The idea is that eventually it will be used at home by patients, as the technology is so simple that a non-specialist can use it with confidence.