SEK 2 million to the world’s first wearable stroke alarm

SmiLe Incubator company Uman Sense and Region Skåne have been granted SEK 2,085,000 by Vinnova’s Swelife and Medtech4Health for a clinical trial of a new groundbreaking technology for early detection of stroke, the of Stroke Alarm.

The purpose of the collaborative project is to evaluate the effectiveness of Stroke Alarm – whether patients receive treatment for stroke faster if they use Stroke Alarm. With the outstanding advances in stroke care today, major benefits can be gained through early treatment for stroke for patient health and quality of life, as well as financially for society.

“Swedish stroke care is on the cutting edge; we hunt for minutes in the stroke chain. The issue to be solved is how to get patients to seek care in time,” says Teresa Ullberg, principal investigator of the study.

The study, which is the first of its kind in the world, is a collaboration between the Department of Neurology at Skåne University Hospital in Malmö and Lund and the Neurology Department in Hässleholm under the leadership of stroke doctor and researcher Teresa Ullberg.

“If the results from the study are in line with our previous scientific data, we believe that widespread use of Stroke Alarm will make it possible for many more people to benefit from the best possible stroke care. We believe and hope that the study will be able to show that wearable sensors like Stroke Alarm have a natural place in the care of patients at risk for stroke. Stroke Alarm will be available within the healthcare system beginning later this year,” says Cecilia Wassélius Belfrage, CEO and founder of Uman Sense.

Uman Sense is a member of SmiLe Incubator, a business incubator in Medicon Village in Lund, Sweden that helps innovation companies in the field of Life Science to convert their ideas into reality. Uman Sense is also a portfolio company of LU Holding, Lund University holding company.

For more information, please contact: Cecilia Wassélius Belfrage, CEO of Uman Sense, phone +46 (0)703377789, email cecilia.belfrage@umansense.com.

 

About stroke: Stroke is one of the biggest diseases of our time, leading to permanent disability and death. Each year, around 25,000 people are affected by stroke in Sweden, 600,000 in the EU and 800,000 in the US. The cost of damage caused by stroke is enormous. In Sweden alone, stroke care costs more than SEK 16 billion annually; in the US, it costs more than SEK 650 billion per year. Today, treatment with thrombolysis or thrombectomy can provide good results in stroke patients. But as many as 75% of these patients arrive too late to receive these treatments – usually because patients are unable to call for help when they are affected.

About Stroke Alarm: Stroke Alarm consists of two wristbands with sensors that wirelessly communicate with a mobile phone. The product is based on the latest research in stroke treatment and mathematical statistical methods such as machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI). Our unique algorithm can identify if the user suffers a stroke, and ensure that the user receives help quickly through an alarm chain. The technology is protected by patent applications.

About Swelife: Swelife supports collaboration within academia, industry and healthcare, with the goal of strengthening the life sciences in Sweden and improving public health. It is a strategic innovation program, funded by the Swedish Government via the innovation agency, Vinnova, and the program’s participating partners. www.swelife.se

About  Medtech4Health: Medtech4Health strives to ensure that more medical technological ideas and solutions are implemented to benefit patients. Together with the healthcare, academic and business communities, value is created for patients and a strengthened medical technology industry. Medtech4Health is funded by the Swedish Government through the innovation agency, Vinnova. www.medtech4health.se

 

---

---