Faster diagnosis of CNS disorders

News


24th September 2010

Telstra supports EVestG; winner of The New Inventors

Telstra launched the Telstra Innovation Challenge in 2009. The program is designed to find the best innovations occurring across Australia and help them get to market. I was delighted to see this week one of the projects we selected to support in 2009 – a new technology called EVestG™ – was awarded the prestigious ‘Invention of the Year’ by the ABC’s New Inventors program. Read More


Winners of ABS’ New Inventors Award 2010

Neural Diagnostics congratulates Brian Lithgow of Monash University and Professors Jayashri Kulkarni of the Monash Alfred Psychiatric Research Centre for their participation in the program and for helping EVestG to become the New Inventor’s Innovation of 2010. Neural Diagnostics hold the worldwide exclusive license for commercialising this invention.




Top ABC New Inventors award for Depression / Bipolar early warning system

A diagnostic system that reads electrical signals from the brain to identify disorders including, bipolar, schizophrenia and major depression and Parkinson’s disease has been named as the invention of the year by the ABC’s New Inventors program. This was the third award gained by the EVestG system in recent weeks.

EVestG will help doctors to make rapid diagnoses of the four major central nervous system disorders: depression, bipolar, schizophrenia and dementia.

These problems affect around one in four people during their lives and place a burden of around $30 billion a year on the Australian health system. Around the world, the annual bill is $2 trillion in direct and indirect costs, and this is expected to grow with the ageing of the population.

The non-invasive system uses a sensor placed in the ear to read electrical signals from the brain via the hair cells of the balance organ. EVestG uses sophisticated signal processing to analyse the brainwave recordings and identify biomarkers or characteristics specific to each condition. It will allow faster, more accurate diagnoses in much the same way an electro-cardiogram (ECG) helps to diagnose heart disease.

EVestG was invented in Melbourne by Brian Lithgow of Monash University, who accepted the New Inventors award last night, together with Professor Kulkarni of Monash Alfred Psychiatric Research Centre, where the clinical research was carried out.

Professors Jayashri Kulkarni and Paul Fitzgerald led the clinical aspects of the research, and together with Brian Lithgow collaborated on applying EVestG to different psychiatric conditions.

Monash University has granted the exclusive worldwide development licence for EVestG to Neural Diagnostics Pty Ltd, which has already embarked on the commercialization process.

Combined funding from Neural Diagnostics Pty Ltd and the Australian Government established the first EVestG Facility at the Alfred Hospital and has supported the bio-engineering and clinical research for over five years to reach the current successes.

The company has now established its first international research facility at the University of Manitoba in Canada, where a study will be launched with the aim of distinguishing the biomarkers that identify and differentiate Alzheimer’s disease from other dementias, under the research leadership of Professors Brian Lithgow and Zahra Moussavi.

The collaborative team believes development of the system and its objective biomarkers will ultimately reduce the time taken for diagnosis from the current weeks or months to just minutes, as well as enhance the overall accuracy of diagnosis.

Neural Diagnostics will be seeking out qualified private investors (there is no public offer) to help fund the commercialization process and including further research at the Alfred and Monash. The aims will be to miniaturize the research equipment, achieve real-time signal processing, extend EVestG’s clinical applications, and, finally, to obtain regulatory approvals so the system can be used by specialist clinicians and research institutions.

EVestG complements all current brain imaging technologies and, importantly, will be considerably cheaper to install and operate, as well as more convenient and shorter in test duration.


17th September 2010

Vale Dr Mike Dalling

Board Directors attended the funeral of Mike, one of the founding shareholders and directors of the company. We have lost an excellent director, friend and mentor. Mike’s experience in the world of commercialisation of Bio-technology was second to none. He will be missed.


Winners of Electronics' News 2010 Future Technologies Award

Shortlisted from 140 applicants, Neural Diagnostics was awarded one of the five Electronics’ News Awards and received the “Wellness” category award by the Managing Director of Kontron Australia.

Electronics News Award Page

19th August 2010

Winners of the AMP Recognition Award at SlatteryIT’s 2010 Tech23

Neural Diagnostics was awarded one of the recognition awards from AMP.


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June 2010

Telstra External R&D Alliance Partner

Neural Diagnostics was honoured in being selected as one of six companies from 230 who applied to be an external R&D Partner is Telstra. Telstra entered into an agreement to help support our growth with in-kind technical support and advice for the running and operation of an internet empowered e-mental healthcare business.


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