16 April 2014
IXICO plc announces SBRI Healthcare development contract
IXICO plc (Ticker: IXI) ("IXICO" or the "Company"), the brain health company, announces that it has been awarded a development contract by SBRI Healthcare (The Small Business Research Initiative for Healthcare) to cover Phase 1 funding for the development of an online application designed to support dementia sufferers post-diagnosis.
Receiving a dementia diagnosis is inevitably traumatic for patients and far too often, patients and their families receive very little support until there is a crisis. This development project will build on Assessa™, IXICO's digital healthcare platform to support dementia diagnosis, to address post-diagnostic care planning and support. It aims to harness web and mobile technologies to provide ongoing support and to assist those living with dementia as well as their families, carers and healthcare professionals. The goal is to prolong and enhance independent living by facilitating improved self-care with full interaction with the relevant healthcare professionals and other support agencies. Social media concepts will be adapted to build a personal management tool whereby diagnosis is carefully linked to continuing care-planning and support. This will then aid the transition into other care settings by travelling with the patient and relatives throughout the course of the illness.
The project will be led by IXICO in partnership with the Health Innovation Network South London. (www.hin-southlondon.org)
Commenting on the award, Derek Hill, CEO of IXICO said:
'We are delighted to receive this support from SBRI Healthcare which will help us to extend the potential patient benefit of Assessa™ following diagnosis and is central to the widening of our digital healthcare offering. We look forward to working with the Health Innovation Network to improve the care of dementia sufferers.'
Commenting on the award, Dr Hugo DeWaal, Clinical Director for Dementia at the Health Innovation Network said:
'Dementia is a key health and social care priority, and the Health Innovation Network is keen to develop a tool that is helpful for people with dementia, their families and carers. We hope that this partnership and SBRI funding will allow us to rapidly improve dementia care for a greater number of people.'
About SBRI Healthcare
The Small Business Research Initiative for Healthcare (SBRI Healthcare) is an NHS England initiative, championed by the newly formed Academic Health Science Networks (AHSNs), that aim to promote UK economic growth whilst addressing unmet health needs and enhancing the take up of known best practice. Part of Innovation Health and Wealth, the SBRI Healthcare programme sets industry the challenge in a series of health related competitions which result in fully funded development contracts between the awarded company and the NHS. Unlike many R&D projects which offer grant or match funding, SBRI contracts are 100 per cent funded and the company retains the IP.
More information is available on www.sbrihealthcare.co.uk
About IXICO
IXICO, the brain health company, was founded in 2004 with a mission to translate image acquisition, management and analysis technology and know-how, which the founders had developed together, into commercial products targeting the expanding area of imaging to inform decision-making during drug development. This has resulted in commercially successful products being launched in the clinical trials (Phase 0-III) and experimental medicine markets and more recently launched into the wider clinical diagnostic market. Since incorporation, IXICO has been awarded contracts by nine of the top 15 global pharmaceutical companies as well as leading biotechnology companies. In October 2013, IXICO plc was admitted to trading on AIM. More information is available on www.ixico.com
About the Health Innovation Network
The Health Innovation Network is a membership organisation, driving lasting improvements in health and wellbeing across South London by sharing innovations across the health system and capitalising on teaching and research strengths. Founded by NHS England, the Health Innovation Network is the Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) for South London. We are focusing on health priorities for our local communities across a number of clinical areas and cross-cutting innovation themes, including dementia, diabetes, musculoskeletal, alcohol and cancer. www.hin-southlondon.org
Enquiries:
IXICO plc
Derek Hill, CEO
Charles Spicer, VP Corporate Development
+44 20 7691 2064
Peel Hunt LLP (Nominated Adviser and Broker)
James Steel
Clare Terlouw
+44 20 7418 8900
Daniel Stewart & Company (Joint Broker)
Mark Treharne
David Hart
+44 207 776 6550
FTI Consulting Limited (Investor Relations)
Ben Atwell
Simon Conway
John Dineen
+44 20 3727 1000
Health Innovation Network
Anna King, Commercial Director
+44 20 7188 7188