DigitalHealth.London Spotlight: CyberLiver

Every week, we shine a spotlight on one of our DigitalHealth.London companies, founders, or NHS fellows. Today, to commemorate World Liver Day, we are excited to feature our current DigitalHealth.London Accelerator company CyberLiver.

What is the problem you are trying to solve and why is it important?

Liver disease has seen mortality rates quadruple in the last forty years. Costing the healthcare sector £3 billion, the situation is exacerbated by alcohol abuse in the UK, which results in one million hospitalisations yearly and £21 billion in societal costs. By 2030, liver disease is expected to become one of the top three health concerns in the UK, a challenge intensified by an anticipated 35 per cent shortfall in specialist care. This convergence of factors underscores the urgent need for effective solutions to address the growing liver disease crisis.

The current treatment approaches for liver disease are predominantly reactive and fail to effectively address early warning signs, often resulting in delayed diagnoses, extended hospital stays and escalating healthcare costs. The lack of effective pharmacological treatments also worsens the economic burden on the healthcare system and diminishes the quality of life for patients. There is an urgent need for a shift towards more proactive and scalable healthcare solutions to manage and mitigate the growing prevalence and impact of liver disease in the UK, which is the mission CyberLiver is committed to fulfilling.

What is the solution you have developed and how can it help with the problem?

CyberLiver has developed an innovative digital medicine platform that leverages advanced clinical hepatic research, sensor technology, machine learning, and artificial intelligence to transform liver disease management. Our platform is modular and configurable, designed to provide real-time monitoring, diagnosis, treatment, and comprehensive management for a range of liver conditions.

By adopting our platform, healthcare providers can shift from a reactive to a proactive care model, enabling early detection and intervention in liver disease progression. This approach aims to halt or even reverse the progression of liver diseases and significantly improve the quality of life for patients. Our technology also offers the potential to reduce healthcare costs by minimising the need for hospitalisations and extensive medical interventions, which are often the result of late-stage disease diagnosis.

What is the history of your company?

CyberLiverr’s inception was rooted in a convergence of expertise and a shared commitment to transforming liver disease management. The journey started when our Chief Medical Officer, armed with more than three decades of clinical practice, highlighted the deficiencies and inefficiencies in current care pathways for liver disease patients. His insights resonated with our co-founders, who had strong backgrounds in digital health technology and a shared dedication to addressing healthcare challenges.

Motivated by a common vision, this amalgamation of clinical wisdom and technological prowess set the foundation for our company. The team, united by a determination to innovate and make a significant impact, saw an opportunity to harness technological advancements to revolutionise liver disease management.

What successes have you had so far from successful pilots/trials/contracts?

We have had compelling results from clinical trials and real-world implementations. At Royal Free Hospital in London, trials revealed that our medical devices can reduce payer costs by over 30 per cent, increase healthcare provider efficiency by 30 per cent, and significantly enhance patient quality of life, with an engagement rate between 60 to 85 per cent. Building on this success, our devices are now part of a real-world implementation study across 20 NHS hospitals, a project funded by £4 million in grants from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR).

Moreover, our digital medical devices are UKCA Class IIa marked and recognised by prestigious global health and innovation bodies. These include Innovate UK, NIHR, DigitalHealth.London, the European Union (which awarded us the Seal of Excellence) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA), which granted us the Breakthrough Device Designation. Such endorsements not only validate our technological advancements but also underscore our commitment to delivering impactful healthcare solutions.

What are your future goals? What does success look like?

We aim to make AlcoChange an integral component of the healthcare ecosystem, particularly for individuals confronting alcohol-related challenges. We are working on securing commissioning through NHS England, ensuring AlcoChange is accessible in primary care, secondary care and community environments, providing a comprehensive reach. Success to us means empowering patients with our medical devices, enabling early detection of liver complications and promoting proactive management. This approach aims to halt or reverse the progression of liver disease, substantially enhancing patients’ quality of life.

How has your time on the DigitalHealth.London Accelerator helped you in achieving these?

The DigitalHealth.London Accelerator has been crucial in establishing valuable connections with hospitals and Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) in London, granting us access to expert advisors and key healthcare stakeholders. The networking opportunities, alongside the support from a dedicated NHS Navigator, have been instrumental in helping us comprehend the landscape and identify opportunities.

Additionally, the programme’s webinars and workshops have significantly enhanced our understanding of the NHS procurement processes, allowing us to refine our strategies to meet NHS standards. This educational component of the Accelerator has been vital in improving our capability to develop convincing business cases for our technology.

Do you have any advice for aspiring digital health companies?

Engaging with stakeholders at an early stage is essential for validating clinical and commercial pathways. Choosing the right early adopters and establishing strong relationships with them can provide critical insights, which are instrumental in shaping and fine-tuning the solutions to meet real-world requirements.

Any asks for the audience?

As innovators, we are committed to fostering collaboration to accelerate the progress of our innovative solutions, ultimately aiming to benefit patients and the healthcare system. We encourage other innovators, healthcare organisations, and industry partners to join us in collaboration, working together towards our mutual goal of delivering significant benefits.

If you are interested in learning more about our work or exploring partnership opportunities, please contact us at info@cyberliver.com.

CyberLiver is currently in Cohort 7 of the DigitalHealth.London Accelerator programme.

The DigitalHealth.London Accelerator programme is funded by the UK Government via the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). It is delivered by the Health Innovation Network (HIN) South London in partnership with the Office of Life Sciences, CW+, Medicity, NHS England, the Mayor of London and the Levelling Up Fund.

For more information, please visit https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-
shared-prosperity-fund-prospectus.