Newborn Solutions is thrilled to announce the successful completion of a 3-day training program at Maputo General Hospital in Mozambique. The training aimed to prepare the clinical team for phase II of the multi-centric clinical trial, an essential step towards improving diagnostics and treatment for life-threatening conditions in infants and children.
The clinical team at Maputo General Hospital have demonstrated an exemplary attitude and enthusiasm and their commitment to being part of groundbreaking innovations to make a positive impact on healthcare outcomes is truly commendable. Newborn Solutions is deeply grateful for their involvement in the project and their dedication to advancing the development of clinical trials as they embark on phase II of the multi-centric trial.
We were lucky to count on the expert guidance of Quique Bassat, our clinical lead and ICREA Researcher at ISGlobal, present during our trip in Mozambique.
Acute bacterial meningitis poses a significant threat to children under 5 years old, with a staggering 1.5 million cases and over 150,000 deaths reported worldwide each year. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial for better prognoses, but delays in these crucial steps often lead to devastating consequences.
The gold standard diagnostic technique for meningitis is the lumbar puncture (LP), an invasive procedure not without its risks, particularly among neonates. Unfortunately, in low-income countries, the lack of resources, trained personnel, and available laboratories to test cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) hinders the widespread use of LPs.
Newborn Solutions’ disruptive device, Neosonics, offers a solution to this pressing issue. It’s a non-invasive ultrasound-based device that utilizes deep learning algorithm models to count white blood cells in the cerebrospinal fluid. This technique shows great promise in screening for meningitis in neonates and infants with an open fontanelle.
Key advantages of Neosonics include:
– High sensitivity and specificity, aiding clinicians in accurately identifying potential cases of meningitis, especially in patients with nonspecific clinical presentations.
– Reducing the need for unnecessary LPs in high-income countries, streamlining diagnostic processes, and minimizing invasive procedures for patients.
– Serving as an efficient screening tool in low-income countries, optimizing the use of scarce resources and enabling timely interventions for affected infants and children.
The successful training in Maputo is a significant step forward in advancing the deployment of non-invasive screening, diagnosis and monitoring of infant meningits and improving healthcare access and outcomes for vulnerable populations. Newborn Solutions remains committed to collaborating with clinical partners and healthcare institutions worldwide to create impactful solutions that save lives and improve patient care.
