£12.1 million in funding has been awarded to six innovations through the NHS Cancer Programme, an initiative supported by SBRI Healthcare and the Accelerated Access Collaborative.
The funding programme aims to support innovators by focussing on improving early detection and diagnosis of cancer; either to enhance efficiency, coordination or communication through the pathway.
Each innovation is said to have “proven their efficacy and clinical effectiveness” and will now be supported over the next 18 months to test the solutions in real world settings.
The awarded innovations are:
Cyted – awarded £3,352,261 – This non-endoscopic test is for the earlier detection of oesophageal cancer for people living with chronic reflux. Project CYTOPRIME2 will test patients at risk of cancer in primary and community care across the East of England, North West Coast and Wessex Cancer Alliance regions.
Institute of Cancer Research – awarded £1,902,636 – A digital pathway for germline genetic testing in women with breast cancer. BRCA-DIRECT is an end-to-end clinical workflow involving a digital platform, saliva-sample postal pathway and genetic counsellor telephone hotline.
iPLATO Healthcare – awarded £1,669,274 – In partnership with Southeast London Cancer Alliance, iPLATO are aiming to increase early detection of bowel cancer, with a particular focus on engaging with ethnic minority communities.
Modality LLP – awarded £2,034,350 – A new diagnostic pathway for primary and secondary care using an algorithm that combines He4 and CA125 tests, and evidence-based numerical thresholds to guide referral decisions.
Skin Analytics – awarded £2,157,038 – Skin Analytics’ Class II UKCA-Certified Artificial Intelligence Medical Device to support the assessment of skin lesions where there is a suspicion of skin cancer.
The University of Manchester / Roche Diagnostics Limited – awarded £1,006,075 – A clinical algorithm for the early detection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in routine practice. This 18-month project will explore the use of an innovative solution called Elecsys®GAAD, a test that combines blood tests with gender and age. If raised, it can suggest the presence of HCC.
The latest funding round forms phase two of the programme, following eight innovations being awarded a share of £9 million in March.
