Contact Information: Contact Name: Tim Craft E-mail: tim.craft@somnus-scientific.co.uk Website: www.somnus-scientific.com
Funding required: £2m Funding secured: £200,000 at commencement of round Somnus Scientific is a multi-award winning start-up diagnostics company with new IP being developed in the fields of sedation and anaesthesia. Somnus will fulfil the global unmet need of point-of-care measurement of propofol. The Problem Propofol is an intravenous hypnotic producing general anaesthesia in higher dose and sedation at lower doses. Propofol-based anaesthesia is often safer and more effective than the more commonly used gaseous anaesthetics, with patients experiencing fewer complications and recovering faster. Additionally, there is increasing research evidence that patients with certain types of cancer are significantly more likely to be alive 5 years after treatment if they have received propofol instead of gases. Despite this, gaseous anaesthesia remains preferred, as the levels of anaesthetic in each patient by measuring it in their breath. A widely acknowledged impediment to the greater use of intravenous anaesthesia is the current lack of an equivalent monitor – one that measures blood propofol concentration. Propofol is also used for sedation. It is the most widely used sedative in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) worldwide. Over sedation is common (up to 60% of patients) and results in an increased risk of death, longer time on a ventilator, and a longer hospital stay in ICU rehabilitation ward. Early market research has demonstrated a desire to be able to measure blood propofol concentration as part of the assessment of the depth of sedation.
The Solution Somnus is developing near-patient, real-time blood propofol concentration monitors. Prior to the company’s incorporation, no suitable propofol sensor existed. Having completed a technology landscape review, Somnus has created electrochemical sensors that detect propofol at clinically relevant concentrations. Propofol is electrochemically active and fouls electrodes during continuous measurement. The novel solution created by Somnus utilises an enzyme to metabolise propofol to its redox pair and detects a change in current proportional to the concentration of propofol. Electrode functionalisation has been achieved with carbon nanotubes and metal oxide additions. Interference studies have driven sensor voltage optimisation and novel means of separating free-propofol in whole blood developed. External validation of the sensor technology will be followed by product design including clinically optimised readers for the single use cartridge housing the sensor. The value proposition for Somnus’ products includes improved and personalised care for individual patients receiving sedation or anaesthesia. Healthcare providers will achieve better resource utilisation from shorter hospital stay as well as reduced drug expenditure, both from using less propofol and treating fewer side effects. With no change in bed numbers, bed availability will increase. Facilitating the switch from gaseous anaesthesia to intravenous propofol will massively reduce health-care derived climate change.
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