Ascentys, a Yorkshire-based digital health business, has secured two grants, including a six-figure sum from a government programme. Further, in partnership with Durham University and Hywel Dda University Health Board, Acentys has successfully acquired funding rounds from Innovate UK (also backed Aegiq).
Additionally, its share of the £25 million government funding has been set aside to fund the development and piloting of a state-of-the-art videogame with the potential to enhance current NHS support for the disease substantially.
The company will use the funds to develop and clinically test the Game based Dementia Automated Testing Algorithm known as G:DATA.
Alzheimer’s screening and diagnosis
Ascentys was founded by Dr. Sayed Kazmi, a former senior academic for more than 20 years and advisor to a Silicon Valley technology investment group.
Sayed set out to improve early screening and diagnosis after witnessing his family and friends’ health decline from Alzheimer’s Dementia disease.
To reiterate, Dementia poses a critical threat to the world’s health systems, currently costing $1 trillion to service annually, and is expected to double by 2030. It costs the UK £26.3 billion alone and is expected to increase rapidly to £55 billion by 2050.
The company has developed a videogame that it claims has the potential to transform the current NHS assessment pathways and could save the NHS millions annually.
As a result, Ascentys works closely alongside the world’s best neuroscientists, psychiatrists, clinicians, researchers, and award-winning game developers to create digital video games and related technologies, including advanced Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, and Artificial Intelligence, to innovate and disrupt mental health pathways for vastly more effective and efficient screening, diagnostics and treatment.
Dr. Sayed Kazmi, founder of Ascentys, comments, “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 cost the NHS millions annually and desperately requires innovation to transform the current treatment pathway for the disease to substantially reduce the clinical burden and waiting list times for patients. The aim of G:DATA is to have a role in this and to raise the effectiveness and quality of care provided to patients using an inexpensive, highly engaging, and non-invasive alternative to existing approaches.”
“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.”
