The NLC Health Impact Fund

The rising number of surgeries in healthcare systems like the National Health Service is challenging due to increasing demand and backlogs. However, new solutions like the Asclepius Platform aim to streamline assessments before and after surgery using digital tools and AI. By analyzing patient data, it helps doctors make better decisions, reduce complications, and improve patient outcomes. Designed with input from patients, it's a cost-effective way to make surgery safer and more efficient.

Axial Orthopaedics Inc. revolutionizes trauma treatment with their innovative intramedullary nailing system. Current systems often lead to bone misalignment and joint pain, blocking post-procedural recovery. Axial Orthopaedics's modular system offers greater flexibility in bone alignment and healing. This system not only addresses postoperative pain but also reduces complications. Its intra-operative modularity and rotational capabilities allow surgeons to achieve better fracture fixation and improved outcomes, filling a crucial gap in current technology.

MLA Diagnostics improves melanoma diagnosis, offering personalized measurement of malignancy levels. Traditional diagnosis often leads to overtreatment or undertreatment, resulting in patient distress or undetected cancer progression. By analyzing methylation, our test provides accurate prognosis, enabling tailored treatment plans and saving lives. With the melanoma therapeutics market on the rise, our innovative solution is poised to make a significant impact, improve patient outcomes and create opportunities.

StarTric, created by cardiovascular experts, developed a new, less invasive device to fix a serious heart valve problem, Tricuspid Regurgitation (TR). Addressing Tricuspid Regurgitation (TR), a severe condition with high mortality rates, StarTric's device offers a safer alternative to open-heart surgery. The technology can be implanted via a transfemoral catheter, combining the safety of minimally invasive methods with the proven efficacy of the Clover technique, aiming to provide effective treatment to millions of TR patients worldwide who currently lack suitable options.

Ecomedic is dedicated to helping hospitals reduce their carbon footprint, addressing the healthcare sector's contribution to global emissions. Ecomedic's database and software tools enable environmental impact analyses, identify sources of emissions and measures the effect of alternative solutions. By providing insights and solutions, the institutions are supported in achieving their carbon neutrality goals and reducing operational costs.

ChARM, or the Children’s Automated Respiration Monitor, addresses the challenge of pneumonia misdiagnosis in low-resource settings. This battery-powered device provides accurate breathing rate monitoring for children under five, empowering healthcare workers to make correct diagnoses swiftly. By streamlining the diagnostic process, ChARM facilitates timely treatment, potentially saving thousands of young lives annually.

Spinal cord Injury represents a large unmet medical need with approximately 1.2M new cases per year resulting mainly from motor vehicle accidents, falls and water related accidents. Currently available treatments only offer symptomatic relief but do not target the underlying pathophysiologic changes. The spinal cord injury market is predicted to reach US$3B by 2025. MLP-1236 is a First in class dual inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) 9 and MMP 12 and has already completed Phase 1 and Phase 2a clinical studies. In preclinical models, MLP-1236 was effective in preventing/reversing the neurodegeneration associated with spinal cord injury and ischemic stroke.

The challenge with lung cancer lies in its late detection, often leading to unfortunate outcomes. Current screening methods like low-dose CT scans are costly and have radiation risks, while blood tests lack accuracy or are too expensive. Our solution offers a non-invasive blood test that detects lung cancer early with high sensitivity and specificity. This test, with its multi-protein panel, can identify even stage I cancer, improving survival rates and reducing unnecessary procedures.