Technology Awards 2021

24 GHP / Technology Awards 2021 Nov21564 Most Innovative Asthma Management Technology 2021: NIOX VERO® 1. Please tell me about your firm, the work you do and the types of clients with whom you work. We are a medical device company and our ambition is to improve the lives of millions of people suffering from asthma. We do this by helping physicians assess patients more accurately using our proprietary NIOX® technology. NIOX® measures the level of fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) in the breath, with results proven to help in the diagnosis and management of asthma. 2. What is your firm/ department’s specific focus, and how did you come to define this through research or previous experience? NIOX VERO® is the leading point-of-care FeNO monitoring and measurement device. We are dedicated to raising awareness and increasing the usage of FeNO testing for the benefit of asthma patients worldwide. When you consider how it all began, it really makes for a fascinating story. First came the discovery of the importance of nitric oxide as a signalling molecule in the body – so much so that work in the field was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1998. This was followed by the discovery of the significance of FeNO as a biomarker in asthma and the development of NIOX® technology at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. The ground- breaking innovations we’re able to develop now all started there. 3. Are there any recent developments or projects you have been working on that you would be willing to share with us? NIOX VERO® has been selected by NICE to be part of the UK National Health Service’s Accelerated Access Collaborative (AAC). AAC is working with innovators to streamline and accelerate the adoption of the best new products in healthcare. 4. Tell us about your specific sector currently. Are there any major challenges or outside influences it faces? Feel free to discuss the impact of COVID-19 if relevant to your work. Have any unexpected opportunities arisen due to the pandemic? FeNO testing is a cutting-edge procedure so the challenge is to spread the word in the hope that as many patients as possible can benefit from it. Covid-19 stopped the face-to-face physician education that was helping us do this but we responded by moving our interactive training resources online with a series of free masterclasses, directed by our lead nurse and FeNO expert. Each session offers more detailed insight into asthma and FeNO testing, as well as the chance to ask questions and see first-hand how NIOX VERO® works. We have been delighted with the response, having welcomed attendees from all over the world. As a result, the masterclasses continue online and will be renewed in 2022. In addition, routine asthma diagnosis and management have been significantly interrupted during the pandemic so we’re working hard to support customers as they resume FeNO testing. FeNO is gaining recognition as the most convenient biomarker in asthma diagnosis and we are happy to play our part in raising awareness of all the available options. 5. What key legislation and regulations does your firm abide to and what techniques do you use to ensure that you are constantly compliant? When working in such a vital and dynamic industry how do you ensure your firm stays at the forefront of emerging industry developments? Sold in over 50 countries, NIOX VERO® is the only FeNO device simultaneously to hold a CE Mark and to be approved by the US FDA, China FDA (now the National Medical Products Administration) and NICE. We remain committed to that position. NIOX VERO® is also the only FeNO device fully compliant with recommendations from the American Thoracic Society and European Respiratory Society for the standardisation of FeNO measurement. This is thanks to the breathing handle that filters out nitric oxide in ambient air and organic compounds to ensure exhaled air is not contaminated, which could pose a risk to the accuracy of the result. NIOX VERO® also features a unique Flow Rate Control mechanism to ensure the patient maintains a steady exhalation rate, further contributing to accuracy. The device offers visual and audio guides to help patients successfully complete the test, optimising the process for both the physician and the patient, and accommodating those who are blind or deaf. 6. What makes your firm/ department unique? How do you differentiate yourselves from your competitors? NIOX® technology has always been at the forefront of industry developments. The technology was the first in the market to deploy chemiluminescence in FeNO testing. The NIOX® electrochemical sensor was subsequently developed, allowing us to take the first portable FeNO device to market. Bringing FeNO testing out of the lab to make it available at the point-of-care was a significant breakthrough, not just for NIOX® but for FeNO as a biomarker in asthma management. Many more patients have been able to benefit since the introduction of our point- of-care device and it’s an advance we were very proud to lead. 7. What does the future have in store for your firm? Do you have any plans or projects you would be willing to share with us? Do you have anything planned for the remainder of 2021? What is in store for 2022? The rest of this year is set to be exciting as we launch new online resources for the asthma community. To keep up-to-date, subscribe to our newsletter at niox.com/subscribe. Of course, NIOX® technology will continue to evolve and we will strive to remain at the forefront of research and development. 8. Is there anything you would like to add? In 2021, we were honoured to announce that more than 40 million FeNO tests had been performed in over 50 countries using NIOX® technology. Our 340 Million Reasons campaign, highlighting the need to keep using FeNO testing to help the global asthma population, was warmly received. That milestone was a great marker of success for us. We were also proud to win the award for Global Leaders in FeNO Testing 2021. The accolade really underlines our commitment to lead research and development in FeNO testing devices and celebrates our continued support for the asthma and respiratory disease community. Circassia