Developing asthma diagnostic tools that are fit for 21st century healthcare

New collaborations will play an essential role in the development of accurate and low cost diagnostic tools in asthma.

Most, if not all of us, have a close friend or family member who has been diagnosed with asthma. In fact there are currently 5.4 million people receiving treatment for asthma in the UK, and it is anticipated that approximately 400 million people across the world will suffer from asthma by 2025. To put that into perspective, in the UK one in every 12 adults and one in every 11 children is affected by asthma, and approximately 5% of them have severe forms of the condition.

The key to effective treatment/management of asthma is accurate diagnosis. However, current diagnosis techniques primarily rely on taking a clinical history and monitoring response to treatment; neither of which can accurately distinguish between the different types of asthma. This is far from ideal – especially when you consider that around 40% of people with asthma do not respond to initial treatment.

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The development of better asthma diagnostics tools that are fit for 21st century healthcare is therefore a top priority, as highlighted in the European Asthma Research and Innovation Partnership (EARIP) asthma research roadmap.

KTN, in collaboration with Innovate UK and Asthma UK, are hosting an event that, for the very first time, will bring together leading academics, SMEs, pharmaceutical companies and funding organisations to crack the challenge of developing accurate, low-cost asthma diagnostic tools.

The New Collaboration Opportunities to Develop Low Cost Diagnostic Tools in Asthma event, on 17th July in London, will bring interested stakeholders together to define exactly what research is needed, who might develop new diagnostic tools and how we ensure such work is funded and delivered. Participants will have a rare opportunity to gain insights from leaders in innovation, health and academia, including the Chief Scientist for NHS England and Prof Sven-Erik Dahlén, an internationally-renowned expert in asthma phenotypes. After hearing from a diverse range of speakers, there will be four facilitated workshops intended to build ambitious new partnerships that can deliver the promise of accurate asthma diagnostic tools.

For further details of this event please click here.

If you would like to discuss innovation opportunities in medical technologies and therapies please contact Professor Mehdi Tavakoli at KTN.