SBRI success for PinPoint Data Science

A new cancer diagnostic test is set to be trialled in Surrey and Sussex following PinPoint Data Science’s success in securing SBRI Healthcare funding.

SBRI Healthcare, in partnership with the NHS Cancer Programme and the Accelerated Access Collaborative, has awarded a share of £9million in funding to eight winning innovators to help them further develop and deploy their late stage innovations to the frontline of cancer detection and diagnosis.

PinPoint’s artificial intelligence cancer detection test allows clinicians to ‘red flag’ high-risk patients and has been validated in retrospective assessments of 147,000 patients.

It was first introduced in Leeds following a collaboration with the Yorkshire & Humber AHSN, the Leeds Academic Health Partnership, the West Yorkshire Cancer Alliance and the University of Leeds.

This latest funding will see the technology being rolled-out across other areas in England with support from the AHSN Network, Kent Surrey Sussex AHSN and the Innovation Agency.

Nuala Foley, KSS AHSN’s Portfolio Lead for Commercial and Partnerships, said:

“We are delighted to be supporting this innovative technology that is likely to make a significant difference to cancer detection and reduce the time that patients wait for results.

“It’s been a pleasure to be able to work with PinPoint to date, including connecting them with the Surrey and Sussex Cancer Alliance. We now look forward to working in partnership with them to implement this technology across sites in our area.

“To see a project that initiated in Leeds with the support of Yorkshire and Humber AHSN now having the potential to benefit patients across England is a great example of the value of the AHSN’s working together to support and accelerate spread of innovative technologies that will make a difference to our system partners and citizens.”

Commenting on the news, Keri Torney, Managing Director for Surrey and Sussex Cancer Alliance, said:

“We are pleased to be working with PinPoint to support the trialling of this technology, and look forward to working with them on this innovation which aims to improve outcomes for patients across our footprint.”

The funding award is part of the first ever Cancer Programme which launched in March 2021 and attracted 51 applications from the open market. A second competition call is planned for the spring of 2022, continuing the series of multi-million pound funding calls, supporting the NHS Long Term Plan ambitions by fast-tracking high quality cancer innovations.

Full details on the competition winners and their innovations can be read on the SBRI Healthcare website.