Yorkshire digital healthcare startup secures share of £25m government funding

A digital healthcare startup has secured two grants including a six-figure sum from a government programme to trial “ground-breaking” gaming and AI technology to support early screening and diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.

Yorkshire based Ascentys is borne from Alzheimer’s research UK funding. In partnership with Durham University and Hywel Dda University Health Board, it has successfully acquired rounds of funding from Innovate UK, including its highly coveted SMART award for “world leading innovation anticipated to have the highest impact on the UK economy”.

It has also received multi-million-pound international investment interest. Its share of the £25m government funding has been set aside to fund the development and piloting of a “state-of-the-art” videogame with the potential to substantially enhance current NHS support for the disease.

Dementia poses a “critical threat” to the world’s health systems, currently costing a reported $1tn to service annually, expected to double by 2030. It costs the UK £26.3bn alone and is expected to increase rapidly to £55bn by 2050.

Ascentys describes its videogame as a potential “game changer” for transforming the current NHS assessment pathways and could save the NHS millions annually. The funding will be used to continue Ascentys and its partners development and clinical testing of the Game based Dementia Automated Testing Algorithm known as G:DATA.

The company was formed by Dr Sayed Kazmi, a former senior academic for more than 20 years and advisor to a Silicon Valley technology investment group. Having witnessed family and friends’ health decline from the disease, Sayed set out on a mission to improve early screening and diagnosis.

Dr Sayed Kazmi, founder of Ascentys commented: “From its inception, Ascentys has sought to innovate to create a significant positive impact on the patients, their families and carers affected by Alzheimer’s disease and the clinicians responsible for their care.

“Treatment and care of Alzheimer’s Dementia costs the NHS millions annually and desperately requires innovation to transform the current treatment pathway for the disease to substantially reduce clinical burden and waiting list times for patients.

“It gives us great pleasure to announce this award and we are confident G:DATA will play a key role in transforming the current screening and diagnostics of Alzheimer’s Disease and ultimately work towards providing a genuinely novel treatment.”

By Matthew Neville – Correspondent, Bdaily

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