December 15, 2023

Naitive® Technologies is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a £690k Innovate UK Advancing Precision Medicine programme grant. The grant will fund a prospective, cross-sectional study with the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust (RNOH) to assess the accuracy of the opportunistic osteoporosis screening tool, OsteoSight™.

OsteoSight is designed to improve osteoporosis screening rates, by automatically analyzing bone mineral density (BMD) from routine X-rays. Patients identified as at-risk can be referred for a diagnostic DXA scan and initiated on treatment early, to prevent fragility fractures. In development, OsteoSight results were shown to closely correlate with the ‘gold standard’, DXA-measured BMD.

This new study will assess how well OsteoSight performs in a real-world setting. As part of the study with the RNOH, patients will be invited to have their X-rays assessed by OsteoSight and then DXA. They will be asked to fill in a questionnaire focused on their understanding of bone health and the risk factors for osteoporosis. The study is being led by Prof. Richard Keen and Dr. Jude Bubbear at the RNOH. Prof. Keen is the Director of the Metabolic Bone Disease Centre and heads a team involved in the clinical care of patients with a wide range of bone diseases. Dr. Bubbear is a Consultant Rheumatologist with a special interest in Metabolic Bone Disease. She runs clinics for patients with osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Diseases at RNOH.

Dr. Catherine Kelly, Chief Operating Officer at Naitive Technologies, said: "We are delighted to have won this Innovate UK award, and to be partnering with the RNOH to evaluate OsteoSight in its intended clinical setting. This study signifies a critical step in proving the efficacy and real-world application of the technology, which aims to improve health outcomes for patients with poor bone health.”

By leveraging the expertise of Naitive and the RNOH, this project has the potential to change the lives of thousands of NHS patients affected by osteoporosis each year. Earlier osteoporosis diagnosis prevents fragility fractures, which will reduce the number of A&E attendances and emergency procedures, freeing up NHS beds and operating theatres.

Disclaimer: This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult with a qualified healthcare professional for any medical concerns or treatment options related to osteoporosis.