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How this North Shields firm is using technology to revolutionise Parkinson’s Disease detection

North Shields medical innovation company Manus Neurodynamica has won a contract to further develop technology capable of detecting Parkinson’s Disease in a GP setting.

Manus has developed diagnostic sensor technology built into a pen, reportedly capable of differentiating a Parkinson’s patient from a patient with another neuromotor condition.

Landing a SBRI Healthcare Development Contract, the company can now develop its ManusNeuro pen further. Should the pen prove successful it could save the healthcare industry both time and money, by removing the process of referring patients for a scan.

The sensory pen, which the company says uses limb and hand motion to diagnose patients quickly and noninvasively, would also ensure that only those patients who need to see a specialist are referred by the GP.

Manus, which has patented the diagnostic system, will now work with clinicians and NHS Health economists to further develop the pen.

Additional trials are on-going with six NHS Trusts in the North East of England under the supervision of Professor Richard Walker, Consultant Physician/Honorary Professor of Ageing & International Health, Newcastle University.

Professor Walker said: “The ManusNeuro pen may help identify patients where the symptoms are not typical or have not developed. In situations where there is some doubt, we often refer patients for a scan, but these cost £1,000 a time, so if the pen allows us to be more sure about the diagnosis it should mean we will need to refer fewer people for expensive scans.”

Dr Rutger Zietsma, Managing Director of Manus Neurodynamica, added: “Using our pen in the 9,800 GP practices in England will reduce costs by ending the unnecessary referrals of patients to specialist centres.

“Our 21st century diagnostic can differentiate a Parkinson’s patient from a patient with another neuromotor condition and ensure that only those patients who need to see a specialist are referred by the GP to an already overstretched service. We are excited to be working with the NHS to achieve this goal.”