Latest news with #OxfordBrainDiagnostics
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oxford Brain Diagnostics initiates dementia diagnostic commercialisation
Oxford Brain Diagnostics (OBD) is gearing up to launch a software tool designed to evaluate the early signs of dementia by analysing MRI scans. The UK company's cloud-based Cortical Disarray Measurement (CDM) Insights software processes MRI scan data to monitor patient brain changes across multiple stages of life, outputting the data as percentiles of a normative population distribution to provide an "objective, quantifiable measure of neurodegeneration". According to OBD, CDM's assessment of microstructural and macrostructural measurements, as well as cortical thickness, will bring methods of analysis to assist clinicians in the early detection of neurodegeneration currently unavailable on the US market. CDM Insights received a breakthrough device designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2020 and 510(k) clearance from the agency in January 2025. Intended for use by healthcare practitioners, including neurologists and radiologists, OBD states that the CDM software will be made available to all US healthcare facilities. OBD CEO and co-founder Dr Steven Chance commented: 'Our technology empowers clinicians with the tools they need to detect subtle brain changes and to diagnose with confidence at an early stage. 'These insights also help patients gain a better understanding of the changes happening in their brains, addressing the uncertainty often experienced with the early signs of Alzheimer's disease.' Spun out from the University of Oxford in 2018, OBD stated that it had reached this stage in its development due to a 2023 funding round led by the London-headquartered Business Growth Fund (BGF). This included additional support from existing investors, including the Oxford Technology & Innovations Fund (OTIF). Dr Chance continued: 'The support from BGF and other investors and partners is enabling us to accelerate the path to the commercialisation of our software tool and bring hope to those millions who are seeking a non-invasive, precision diagnostic tool to reveal the truth about their brain health.' The ability to detect neurodegenerative conditions earlier is an area of rising importance in pharmacology. A recent open-label extension (OLE) study (NCT06424236) of Roche's discontinued Alzheimer's drug, gantenerumab, showed signs that it could prevent the onset of the disease. Data from the OLE published in The Lancet demonstrated that the anti-amyloid drug cut the risk of developing symptoms by 50% for a subgroup of 22 participants who had no cognitive problems at the beginning of the study and who received the drug for an average of eight years. BGF investor Maggie Lau commented: 'The landscape for neurological diagnostics is evolving rapidly, particularly with the arrival of new anti-amyloid Alzheimer's drugs, sharpening the focus on early, accurate diagnosis. 'OBD's technology directly addresses this by enabling timely detection and precise monitoring of neurodegenerative disease.' "Oxford Brain Diagnostics initiates dementia diagnostic commercialisation" was originally created and published by Medical Device Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Oxford Brain Diagnostics initiates dementia diagnostic commercialisation
Oxford Brain Diagnostics (OBD) is gearing up to launch a software tool designed to evaluate the early signs of dementia by analysing MRI scans. The UK company's cloud-based Cortical Disarray Measurement (CDM) Insights software processes MRI scan data to monitor patient brain changes across multiple stages of life, outputting the data as percentiles of a normative population distribution to provide an "objective, quantifiable measure of neurodegeneration". According to OBD, CDM's assessment of microstructural and macrostructural measurements, as well as cortical thickness, will bring methods of analysis to assist clinicians in the early detection of neurodegeneration currently unavailable on the US market. CDM Insights received a breakthrough device designation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2020 and 510(k) clearance from the agency in January 2025. Intended for use by healthcare practitioners, including neurologists and radiologists, OBD states that the CDM software will be made available to all US healthcare facilities. OBD CEO and co-founder Dr Steven Chance commented: 'Our technology empowers clinicians with the tools they need to detect subtle brain changes and to diagnose with confidence at an early stage. 'These insights also help patients gain a better understanding of the changes happening in their brains, addressing the uncertainty often experienced with the early signs of Alzheimer's disease.' Spun out from the University of Oxford in 2018, OBD stated that it had reached this stage in its development due to a 2023 funding round led by the London-headquartered Business Growth Fund (BGF). This included additional support from existing investors, including the Oxford Technology & Innovations Fund (OTIF). Dr Chance continued: 'The support from BGF and other investors and partners is enabling us to accelerate the path to the commercialisation of our software tool and bring hope to those millions who are seeking a non-invasive, precision diagnostic tool to reveal the truth about their brain health.' The ability to detect neurodegenerative conditions earlier is an area of rising importance in pharmacology. A recent open-label extension (OLE) study (NCT06424236) of Roche's discontinued Alzheimer's drug, gantenerumab, showed signs that it could prevent the onset of the disease. Data from the OLE published in The Lancet demonstrated that the anti-amyloid drug cut the risk of developing symptoms by 50% for a subgroup of 22 participants who had no cognitive problems at the beginning of the study and who received the drug for an average of eight years. BGF investor Maggie Lau commented: 'The landscape for neurological diagnostics is evolving rapidly, particularly with the arrival of new anti-amyloid Alzheimer's drugs, sharpening the focus on early, accurate diagnosis. 'OBD's technology directly addresses this by enabling timely detection and precise monitoring of neurodegenerative disease.' "Oxford Brain Diagnostics initiates dementia diagnostic commercialisation" was originally created and published by Medical Device Network, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
Daily Mail
26-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
You can spot Alzheimer's YEARS before symptoms appear with groundbreaking new scan...would YOU have it?
A groundbreaking brain scan could spot the first signs of Alzheimer's years before symptoms strike. Until now, dementia diagnoses have often relied on questionnaires to indicate problems with memory as well as MRI scans to track loss of brain volume. But it means many are only diagnosed with the cruel condition once it has progressed. British scientists, however, found the 'world first' technique—which analyses the cell structure of the brain—spotted subtle changes to the cortical region, the outer layer of the brain, responsible for functions, including memory and decision-making. It means medics can see changes in the brain far earlier, at a level normally only possible via a post-mortem examination. Experts said the 'breakthrough' device could herald a new era in fighting the disease. Although not yet offered to patients suspected of having the disease in the UK, Oxford Brain Diagnostics which developed the technique, said it was in talks with private health providers. It was also approved by medicines regulator the Food and Drug Administration for use in the US back in January. Oxford Brain Diagnostics, a spinout company from the University of Oxford, was founded by Dr Steven Chance, former associate professor of neuroscience at Oxford, and Professor Mark Jenkinson, a leading expert in brain imaging. The technique, called cortical disarray measurement, uses advanced software which analyses MRI scans to pinpoint more subtle signs of neurodegeneration. Dr Chance said: 'The core technology is founded on my background, looking at the microscopic structure of brains at autopsy for many years. You couldn't do that with a living patient and this is what we needed.' 'More than 20 per cent of those over 50 have Alzheimer's-type changes, small-scale changes that would be otherwise invisible. 'These breakthroughs open up a whole new way of monitoring brain health.' The technology, he added, could have a 'transformative' impact, bringing hope to 'millions of people who are seeking a non-invasive, precision diagnostic tool to reveal the truth about their brain health'. David Thomas, head of policy at Alzheimer's Research UK, said: 'Dementia is caused by diseases that often begin years before symptoms appear, and so finding new ways to detect these diseases earlier is vital. 'There is a huge amount of progress happening in this space and it's encouraging to see UK companies contributing to that. 'While this technology shows promise for diagnosing dementia earlier, so far it has only been validated in research settings. 'We're still some way off it being used within the NHS and we would need to see much more real-world clinical data to fully understand its potential. 'Improving early and accurate diagnosis is crucial—not only to give people clarity about their condition but also to ensure they can access the right support and, in future, new treatments as they become available.' It comes as a landmark study last year also suggested almost half of all Alzheimer's cases could be prevented by tackling 14 lifestyle factors. To reduce dementia risk throughout life, the commission also made 13 recommendations for both people and governments. These include making hearing aids available for all those who need it, reducing harmful noise exposure, and increased detection and treatment access for high cholesterol among the over-40s. Experts claimed the study, published in the prestigious journal The Lancet, provided more hope than 'ever before' that the memory-robbing disorder that blights the lives of millions can be prevented. Alzheimer's Disease is the most common form of dementia and affects 982,000 people in the UK. It is thought to be caused by a build-up of amyloid and tau in the brain, which clump together and from plaques and tangles that make it harder for the brain to work properly. Eventually, the brain struggles to cope with this damage and dementia symptoms develop. Memory problems, thinking and reasoning difficulties and language problems are common early symptoms of the condition, which then worsen over time. Alzheimer's Research UK analysis found 74,261 people died from dementia in 2022 compared with 69,178 a year earlier, making it the country's biggest killer.
Telegraph
25-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Brain scan to detect Alzheimer's before symptoms appear in world first
A world-first brain scanning technique could identify signs of Alzheimer's disease long before symptoms appear. The method, which analyses the cell structure of the brain, has been found to identify subtle changes in the cortical regions, including areas typically affected in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. At the moment, diagnosis of diseases such as dementia normally relies on questionnaires which show memory problems combined with MRI scans, which can show loss of brain volume. However, this means many people are diagnosed only when the disease has progressed. The British scientists behind the 'precision diagnostic tool' said it could bring hope for millions of people with concerns about dementia. Tests suggest it is able to spot disruption in the structure and function of the cortex, particularly those associated with functions such as memory, decision-making and language. The new technique, called cortical disarray measurement, uses advanced software which analyses MRI scans to pinpoint more subtle signs of neurodegeneration. British company Oxford Brain Diagnostics has now been certified to start offering the method and is in talks with private health providers about rollout. It has already been designated by the US Food and Drug Administration for use in the United States as a 'breakthrough' device. The neuroscientist behind the advances said it meant medical professionals were able to see changes in the brain far earlier, at level normally only be possible via a post-mortem examination. Over the past year, two major treatments for Alzheimer's disease have been given the green light by UK regulators. Donanemab and lecanemab are the first treatments found to slow progression of the disease. However, both have been blocked for use on the NHS on the grounds they are not cost-effective. Experts believe that diagnosing dementia early is key to making treatments more effective and helping to ensure they become more widely available. Almost 1 million people in the UK are are living with dementia, but this number is expected to reach 1.4 million by 2040. Oxford Brain Diagnostics, a spinout company from the University of Oxford, was founded by Dr Steven Chance, former associate professor of neuroscience at Oxford, and Prof Mark Jenkinson, a leading expert in brain imaging. The breakthrough was achieved after the company received funding from UK investment firm BGF and the Oxford Technology & Innovations Fund. Identify other neurodegenerative conditions Studies have found the method can detect neurodegenerative changes before any visible brain shrinkage or atrophy appears on standard imaging as well as distinguish between different types of dementia. It has also been found to predict which individuals with mild cognitive impairment are more likely to develop dementia. The platform could also help to identify other neurodegenerative conditions including Parkinson's disease and multiple sclerosis. Dr Chance said: 'The core technology is founded on my background, looking at the microscopic structure of brains at autopsy for many years. You couldn't do that with a living patient and this is what we needed.' He said the technology could have a 'transformative' impact, bringing hope to 'millions of people who are seeking a non-invasive, precision diagnostic tool to reveal the truth about their brain health'. For now, the target patient market is those suffering mild cognitive decline, allowing professionals to differentiate between types of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases. Dr Chance said clinics might offer annual MOTs for those with concerns about memory problems. In time, and with the advent of more medicines to treat dementia, such advances could be rolled out to those in mid-life, he said. 'More than 20 per cent of those over 50 have Alzheimer's-type changes, small-scale changes that would be otherwise invisible. These breakthroughs open up a whole new way of monitoring brain health.'
