Artificial intelligence driven platform for atrial fibrillation stratification
AF-FINE is a medical device solution that will combine a non-invasive electrocardiogram imaging technology with an artificial intelligence prediction system to enhance treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is a chronic disease that is estimated to affect more than 7.6 million Europeans [1], and can increase mortality rates due to sudden death, heart failure or stroke [2].
During the last 10 years, the members of the AF-FINE project have had the vision to improve the efficacy of pharmacological and ablation antiarrhythmic therapies to address atrial fibrillation. Our experience in this field led us to develop and validate a personalised technique based on the use of non-invasive recordings and inverse electrocardiogram imaging.
Team
- Felipe Atienza MD, PhD, a cardiologist specialised in electrophysiology and CMO at CORIFY will supervise the clinical work.
- Maria S. Guillem PhD, Assistant Prof. at UPV is CSO at CORIFY.
- Francisco Fernández-Avilés PhD, MD is Prof. of Cardiology, head of Cardiology Dept. at Hospital Gregorio Marañón and director of FIBMED.
- Andreu M. Climent PhD, a researcher at SERMAS, is CEO at CORIFY and will be Project Manager of the AFFINE project.
- Blanca Rodriguez PhD is a researcher at Oxford.
- Manuel Pérez Pérez is engineer at ATOS.
- Josep Lluís Falcó PhD, MBA is CEO at GENESIS Biomed.
The project
The main goal of AF-FINE is to change the paradigm of treatment of atrial fibrillation patients by introducing in the market a novel technology that combines electrocardiogram imaging with artificial intelligence. The project is developing and validating a patient-centered system for managing atrial fibrillation that allows for:
- personalised treatments based in the synergistic interaction between novel knowledge on the mechanisms of the pathology;
- new non-invasive mapping technologies (already developed by SERMAS and the UPV’s spin-off, CORIFY);
- artificial intelligence-based methodologies for stratification of each patient’s case, permitting identification of the most effective and efficient treatment.
With the support of the AF-FINE project, CORIFY aims to develop the ultimate solution for stratification of patient suffering from atrial fibrillation. The work being done by CORIFY is the result of innovation at Hospital Gregorio Marañón, the education received at Caixa Impulse Program (funded by EIT Health) and the business creation efforts to create the company. Most of the value generated at CORIFY has been driven by EIT Health.
Due to better stratification of individual patients’ conditions, AF-FINE will enable a significant reduction in the burden of the disease, reducing the over expenditures in the healthcare system and improving the quality of life of the patients. Furthermore, knowledge of atrial fibrillation will enhance awareness among citizens of their own lifestyle habits. To this end, AF-FINE has several outreach activities.
Why this is an EIT Health project
Using evidence-based approaches to improve diagnosis and treatment of a chronic, potentially fatal condition means that AF-FINE is in keeping with the EIT Health Focus Area of “Improving Care Pathways”. The project’s overall goal of better, personalised care is in keeping with EIT Health’s mission to improve healthcare for European citizens.
External partners
- CORIFY
- FIBMED
Partners
CLC/InnoStars: Spain
Partner classification: Business
Partner type: Associate Partner
GENESIS Biomed is a consultancy firm in the biomedical healthcare sector specialized in providing consulting services to spin-off and start-up companies, entrepreneurs and research centers. Based in our expertise we help entrepreneurs and researchers to shape their business plan and we support them in the private fundraising process. We have worked on 253 projects of 15 different types and we have raised more than 67.5 M€ in the last 6 years. Our expertise domains are biopharmaceutical, biotechnological, medical devices, in vitro diagnostic, digital health nutraceutical and cosmetic. With more than 20 years of expertise in the healthcare sector, we are born in May 2017 and we are located in the Barcelona Science Park and in the center of Madrid.
GENESIS Biomed
GENESIS Biomed, Carrer de Baldiri Reixac, 4-12-15, 08028 Barcelona, España
CLC/InnoStars: Spain
Partner classification: Municipality / City, Hospital / University Hospital
Partner type: Core Partner
Servicio Madrileño de Salud (SERMAS) is the public health provider of the region of Madrid. SERMAS belongs to the Spanish National Health System and provides services to more than 6 million citizens through 38 hospitals and 424 primary care centres. SERMAS is an international reference for high-specialized medicine; it is equipped with state-of-the art stage technologies and characterized by high-qualified health professionals distributed in three domains: primary care, hospital care and emergency care through SUMMA 112. SERMAS has one of the best public primary care systems in good coordination with hospital care and social services in order to provide integrated care and achieve real impact on patients and families. In order to improve health research management and coordination, SERMAS works with 13 Research Foundations that support from the economic and administrative point of view research and innovation that originates at university hospitals, primary care, the emergency medical service and public health covering all areas of specialties and including communication and information technologic departments. These public research foundations focus on innovation and translational research, seeking for real outcomes in healthcare. SERMAS is committed to ensure the continuous improvement of quality.
Key Activities in Social Innovation
Healthcare provision, Payers
Key Activities in Business Creation
Technology Transfer, Testing & Validation
Key Activities in Education
Medical faculties, Healthcare professional education/training
CLC/InnoStars: Spain
Partner classification: Education, Research
Partner type: Linked/Affiliated Party
The Universitat Politècnica de València is an institution with the capacity to take a lead in these changes and the meeting of the demands which face us, characteristics which underline its great value but which also mean the adoption of specific organisational and functional processes, all of which justified the need to draw up a new Strategic Plan, as a tool for the management of the institution, the definition of lines of action, and to support decision-making.
Universitat Politècnica de València
Universitat Politècnica de València, Camí de Vera, 46022 València, Valencia, Spain
Key Activities in Business Creation
Incubation, Technology Transfer, Business coaching
Key Activities in Education
Entrepreneurship training, Technical faculties
CLC/InnoStars: UK-Ireland
Partner classification: Education, Research
Partner type: Core partner
The University of Oxford is one of the leading research and teaching Universities in the United Kingdom and Europe. The Medical Sciences division has major global collaborations across the breadth of biomedical sciences.
University of Oxford
Key Activities in Corporate Innovation
Med Tech, ICT
Key Activities in Social Innovation
Healthcare provision
Key Activities in Business Creation
Incubation, Finance & Investment, Technology Transfer, Business coaching, Testing & Validation
Key Activities in Education
Business Schools, Entrepreneurship training, Technical faculties, Medical faculties
Di Carlo, A., et al. 2019. Prevalence of atrial fibrillation in the Italian elderly population and projections from 2020 to 2060 for Italy and the European Union: the FAI Project. EP Europace, 21(10), pp.1468-1475.
Kirchhof, P., et al. 2016. 2016 ESC Guidelines for the management of atrial fibrillation developed in collaboration with EACTS. European Heart Journal, 37(38), pp.2893-2962.