Biosense Technologies has developed a device

Shonali Advani

A paper published in 2011 in the renowned medical journal The Lancet on prevalence of anaemia in low- and middle-income countries said that the blood disorder affects 1.62 billion people worldwide. Anaemia is estimated to contribute to more than 1,15,000 maternal deaths and 5,91,000 perinatal deaths globally per year, says the paper. Cause and effect These numbers apart, Yogesh Patil and Abhishek Sen, both 27, were first-hand witnesses to the ailment inIndia as medical interns from Topiwala National Medical College in Mumbai during an internship at a primary health center in Parol, a locality in the Thane district of Maharashtra. Anaemia-or the reduction of haemoglobin (Hb) in blood-throttles vital organs of oxygen. Poor nutrition and diet linked to low income, coupled with lack of primary healthcare facilities, lead to infant mortality, low birth weight babies, cognitive problems in children and even post-partum haemorrhage. Patil and Sen knew that these could be prevented as anaemia can be controlled if diagnosed. The diagnosis, not the cure, is where the duo made their next move, post the year-long internship, with batchmate Darshan Nayak, 30, and Myshkin Ingawale, 29, an electrical engineer from National Institute of Technology in Bhopal. They got together in late-2008 to develop a device to measure Hb. What started as a hostel project soon morphed into ToucHb, a low-cost, needle-free anaemia screening and monitoring device, made by their venture, Thane-based Biosense Technologies. Feather touch The ToucHb weighs 200 grams-is no bigger than a television remote-and has an in-built pulse oximeter. It is designed for mobility and portability. It works on two AA batteries with a battery life of three months and can take a maximum of 100 tests in this period. The probe, a blunt-ended surgical instrument which looks like a paper clip, is fitted on a patient’s finger. ToucHb works on the established science of photoplethysmography-an optical technique to detect blood volume changes. Once on, it displays different types of light on the finger and measures the amount refracted, reflected and transmitted. The sensor inside the probe captures the values, and, depending on the differences in signals, shows various substances in the finger. “You can select haemoglobin or oxygen to measure,” explains Ingawale, CEO at Biosense. In a minute, it presents the Hb count in grams per deciliter without using needles or drawing blood. “Our technology reads the optical signature of Hb,” says Ingawale. Estimation of Hb is Biosense’s novelty and the patent-pending part of the innovation. The founders have worked on developing a series of filters and an algorithm that looks at different frequencies of light. “Data, calibrated and collected, is used to establish Hb levels,” he adds. The design of the probe is also patented as they needed more wavelengths and different size dimensions to fit a finger to measure right signals. Going forth Priced at Rs. 18,000, the device costs a user only Rs. 10-Rs. 20 per test. Biosense’s business model is centered on primary healthcare clinics where they sell these devices. Clinics sell tests to patients through healthcare workers. Beginning 2010-11, they tested ToucHb in Rajasthan, Karnataka and Mumbai as a clinical study comparing it against laboratory tests before commercializing it. “It is not designed to be as accurate as a laboratory test and should not be treated to replace it,” clarifies Ingawale. In early 2010, they won the ‘Echoing Green Fellowship’. Erica Lock, Senior Associate, Fellow Programs, Echoing Green Fellowship says, “ToucHb was a box and a clothespin when we first met Biosense. Since then, it has become many iterations of a working product. It was field-tested, honed for accuracy, and is now market-ready. It is truly impressive for a startup organization.” They involved early users in the development process, balancing every stakeholder’s perspective. The early adopters of the technology have benefited with preferential pricing, which is 40-50 percent cheaper than the current prices. The color of the probe, initially black, was changed to a lighter shade on user feedback. ToucHb is manufactured by multiple vendors in Navi Mumbai and Chennai and is assembled by Biosense’s unit in Navi Mumbai. However, production is limited to 200-300 devices a month due to capacity constraints. PR Ganapathy, Chief Operating Officer, Villgro Innovations, who came on board as an investor in December 2011, says a device like this would be affordable for government clinics if priced around Rs. 10,000. “With this scale of production, it is difficult to achieve the price points that primary healthcare clinics are looking for. It would be ideal to target low hanging fruits-NGOs working in the health segment, individual clinics and doctors.” Neeta Kumar, Program Officer, Indian Council of Medical Research, bought two devices for Rs. 12,000 each and, though happy, she has issues with its technicalities. “During cold weather, the fingers get cold and the equipment does not show a reading. We have returned the devices. Biosense is working on improving it,” she says. Kumar, however, feels ToucHb is unaffordable for bulk buying and plans to negotiate prices. Mapping the future “We will continue with the direct channel of sales. It gives us first-hand information from people,” says Ingawale, adding that the company wants to reach thousands of clinics. Biosense is seeing new synergy with pharmaceutical companies. “They want an efficient screening mechanism to educate people,” Ingawale says. Karan Gupta, India Investments Manager, Insitor Fund, which closed their investment in January 2013, says, “It can also be used by urban households alongside blood pressure monitors.” Aiding good health Equity investment raised:  Rs. 2.5 crore
Seed capital: Rs. 2 lakh (Self)
Center for Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship (CIIE at IIM-A):  Rs. 5 lakh
Echoing Green Fellowship: $40,000 ( Rs. 20 lakh)
Global Superangels Forum:  Rs. 80 lakh
Villgro Innovations:  Rs. 30 lakh
Insitor Fund:  Rs. 1.5 crore You can send your feedback on smementor@moneycontrol.com or simply post comments below