Five digital health technologies tackling some of Australia’s biggest health challenges are set to share a total funding injection of $3.25M from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), after being awarded stage-two funding in the country’s leading digital and connected health accelerator program, ANDHealth+.

The funding will help Australian startups Eugene, Atmo Biosciences, Immunosis, Metabolic Health Solutions and Humanetix conduct further studies and scale their businesses to solve health challenges across genomics and genetic testing, gut and metabolic health, immune deficiencies and improving clinical efficiencies.

ANDHealth CEO and Managing Director Bronwyn Le Grice said: “Funding from the Australian Government’s Medical Research Future Fund will support these high-growth potential companies to tackle major health issues impacting Australians on a daily basis, including gastrointestinal disorders, immune deficiencies and obesity, as well as provide streamlined genetic testing and counselling, and improved care management in the understaffed aged care sector.”

“The funded projects will not only look at the commercial and clinical milestones these Australian health businesses need to meet, but provide expert support and advice, access to global partnerships and critical non-dilutive funding to ensure these solutions make it into the hands of patients, clinicians and care teams as swiftly as possible,” said Ms Le Grice.

The five companies are part of the third cohort of ANDHealth+ companies funded by the MRFF and started the program in August last year. Since then, they have had support from local and international advisors, experts and investors to strengthen their businesses, as well as preliminary funding for key Stage 1 projects.

“Funding and support through grant programs is more important than ever. Our most recent sentiment survey of digital health startups revealed that grant funding was seen as their most likely source of future funding (56%), with access to capital and experienced digital health investors their top challenge to commercialisation. The MRFF funding paired with access to industry-led real-world experience and expertise is a crucial part of continuing to grow Australia’s digital health opportunity,” Ms Le Grice said.

How the funding will be used

Atmo Biosciences’ novel, ingestible gas-sensing capsule to provide unique insights into gut health and microbiome function. Its primary focus is improving the diagnosis of motility disorders; however, there are many potential applications, from IBS and IBD to liver disease and SIBO. Atmo Biosciences will use the funding to advance its imminent launch in Motility, by further validating the benefits of this technology from both a clinical and cost saving perspective. They will also evaluate future clinical indications that leverage the unique features of its device and assess emerging needs in gut health.

Genomics company Eugene helps Australians make informed health decisions in areas such as carrier screening for pregnancies or assessing genetic risk factors in cancer or cardiovascular areas. Interpreting genetic test results and counselling patients is a key bottleneck in the implementation of genomics technologies to its full potential in healthcare.  By addressing this bottleneck in the value chain, Eugene helps patients get specialist support when they need it and helps clinics and doctors provide best-in-class genomics care to their patients. Through the ANDHealth+ program funding, Eugene will conduct a health and efficiency benefits study, and further scale its platform to allow greater variety and volume of genetic testing applications.

With the healthcare system facing workforce shortages and overwhelming administrative burden, caregivers, nurses, and clinicians have less time to dedicate to the delivery of care. Humanetix’s care management platform is simplifying care through technology and improving efficiencies in clinical workflows, with a globally patented artificial intelligent care engine. Humanetix will use its funding for further impact assessment and gap analysis, informing deeper engagement with the sector to help deliver maximum impact to residential aged care and home care providers.

Immunosis is a clinical stage start-up company developing diagnostic products for patients with life-threatening immune deficiencies. A significant challenge for these patients is the lengthy time to gain an accurate diagnosis, reported to be nine years for the most common form of Primary Immunodeficiency (PID). Immunosis’ goal is to reduce the time it takes to get a diagnosis and access treatment, ultimately saving the healthcare system time and money and improving the lives of these patients. The program funding will enable Immunosis to undertake further clinical studies in Australia and the US, map PID patient journeys in the years before and after diagnosis to demonstrate clinical utility and determine how impactful a faster diagnosis will be to the healthcare system.

Finally, Metabolic Health Solutions (MHS) provides a medical technology and software solution for healthcare professionals to measure and manage a patients   metabolic rate through indirect calorimetry.  These measures can inform long-term weight management strategies and monitor metabolic health. MHS will use the funds to further develop their intellectual property strategy, to explore the clinical impact and workflow especially in concert with weight loss medication, and to improve the useability of their device.    

Funded by the MRFF, ANDHealth+ is delivered by ANDHealth, Australia’s only dedicated digital and connected health commercialisation organisation providing homegrown digital health start-ups access to non-dilutive investment, alongside substantial industry mentoring and support, across a two-stage investment process.  

The new funding follows the launch of the Economic Impact Assessment of Digital Health by Assistant Health Minister Ged Kearney. The independent report, undertaken by LEK Consulting, found that for every $1 invested into the Australian digital health industry via ANDHealth+, $19.70 in capital is raised and $4.20 in gross economic value is delivered.

Significantly, digital health startups participating in the ANDHealth+ program raise on average $1.1 million in capital after just six months – approximately double the $0.6 million in capital raised by other digital health SMEs.