Thanks to investment in Prolira BV, by Holland Venture and Health Innovations, early detection of delirium will be possible.
27 SEPTEMBER 2016: With a cash injection, knowledge and a large network in healthcare, Holland Venture, Health Innovations and two business angels are helping to make Prolira’s Delirium Monitor the new international standard for detection of delirium.
Delirium, an acute state of confusion, is a serious medical condition. Delirium is common and particularly affects hospitalized elderly. It is an anxious experience that can lead to serious consequences, such as increased mortality risk, a longer stay in the hospital and long term cognitive impairment (dementia) and high health care costs. Patients who have experienced a delirium can often not go back to the life they had before and need to go to a nursing home. Research indicates, the sooner a delirium is treated the better. Early detection helps to limit the impact on patients and saves costs.
Rutger van Merkerk, CEO of Prolira: “For millions of patients worldwide the improvement of delirium detection is important. This financial injection makes the development and production of a great health care innovation possible.” Annemarie Willems, CCO of Prolira adds: “Hospitals in the Netherlands, Germany and Great Britain are ready to work with the Delirium Monitor. US hospitals have also shown interest, because we help tackle the growing delirium problem in a very practical way.”
Prolira develops a medical device, to detect delirium early and objectively. The company is a spin-off of the University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU), and is based on clinical research led by neurologist-intensivist Prof. Dr. Arjen Slooter, who wants to improve the grip on delirium for everyone. Measurement of brain activity (EEG, a biomarker) proves to be effective and a good objective measure; 90% of the delirium cases are expected to be recognized. That is a great improvement over the current available, subjective, methods.
If detection is achieved at an early stage, intervention can be done quickly and appropriately, limiting negative consequences for patients. The Prolira Delirium Monitor measures brain signals from the patient through electrodes incorporated in a headband, that is easy to apply. A compact, portable monitor presents the results to care professionals. Prolira is the first and only party that makes delirium detection possible using EEG signals.
Hubert Verbeek, managing partner Holland Venture: “Delirium is a major problem for patients and hospitals. There is a great need for an easy solution that detects a delirium quickly and accurately. The Delirium Monitor contributes to a reduction of health care costs and an increase in the quality of care. We are excited to help Prolira make this monitor available as soon as possible.”
Linze Dijkstra, managing partner Health Innovations: “We have been following UMCU’s delirium detection developments for several years. We are very impressed by the progress that has been made with the detection of delirium on the basis of EEG signals. The next step is to make this technology available to patients and hospitals as a product. Health Innovations is happy to play a role, as this product will improve patient care.”
Prolira
In 2015 Prolira was founded by Rutger van Merkerk and Annemarie Willems to improve worldwide detection of delirium. The company is a spin-off of the University Medical Center Utrecht. Prolira is the first company in the world to bring an objective medical device for monitoring of delirium.
Holland Venture
Holland Venture is one of the first independent private equity firms in the Netherlands and has been successfully and responsibly investing in promising small and medium-sized Dutch businesses with growth ambitions for more than 30 years. With a clear investment strategy, they anticipate long-term trends in attractive growth markets, focusing on the Healthcare and Technology sectors. An experienced and dedicated investment team knows entrepreneurship. They aim for an open, sustainable and professional relationship with management teams, with sustainable growth as a common goal. Holland Venture is supported by a broad network of successful entrepreneurs in Healthcare and Technology.
Health Innovations
Since 2007 Health Innovations invests in Dutch companies aimed at improving health care, with a focus on early stage investments. In the past 10 years they invested in 20 Dutch companies who have contributed to improving care processes. With powerful entrepreneurship and a market-oriented approach, both quality gains and financial returns have achieved. Current and former portfolio companies are present in the field of services, software and medical technology. Shareholders in the funds of Health Innovations are ABN AMRO, Mediq and health insurers Achmea and VGZ. The Dutch Government supports Health Innovations with the Seed Capital scheme.
Delirium, an acute state of confusion, is a serious medical condition. Delirium is common and particularly affects hospitalized elderly. It is an anxious experience that can lead to serious consequences, such as increased mortality risk, a longer stay in the hospital and long term cognitive impairment (dementia) and high health care costs. Patients who have experienced a delirium can often not go back to the life they had before and need to go to a nursing home. Research indicates, the sooner a delirium is treated the better. Early detection helps to limit the impact on patients and saves costs.
Rutger van Merkerk, CEO of Prolira: “For millions of patients worldwide the improvement of delirium detection is important. This financial injection makes the development and production of a great health care innovation possible.” Annemarie Willems, CCO of Prolira adds: “Hospitals in the Netherlands, Germany and Great Britain are ready to work with the Delirium Monitor. US hospitals have also shown interest, because we help tackle the growing delirium problem in a very practical way.”
Prolira develops a medical device, to detect delirium early and objectively. The company is a spin-off of the University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU), and is based on clinical research led by neurologist-intensivist Prof. Dr. Arjen Slooter, who wants to improve the grip on delirium for everyone. Measurement of brain activity (EEG, a biomarker) proves to be effective and a good objective measure; 90% of the delirium cases are expected to be recognized. That is a great improvement over the current available, subjective, methods.
If detection is achieved at an early stage, intervention can be done quickly and appropriately, limiting negative consequences for patients. The Prolira Delirium Monitor measures brain signals from the patient through electrodes incorporated in a headband, that is easy to apply. A compact, portable monitor presents the results to care professionals. Prolira is the first and only party that makes delirium detection possible using EEG signals.
Hubert Verbeek, managing partner Holland Venture: “Delirium is a major problem for patients and hospitals. There is a great need for an easy solution that detects a delirium quickly and accurately. The Delirium Monitor contributes to a reduction of health care costs and an increase in the quality of care. We are excited to help Prolira make this monitor available as soon as possible.”
Linze Dijkstra, managing partner Health Innovations: “We have been following UMCU’s delirium detection developments for several years. We are very impressed by the progress that has been made with the detection of delirium on the basis of EEG signals. The next step is to make this technology available to patients and hospitals as a product. Health Innovations is happy to play a role, as this product will improve patient care.”
Prolira
In 2015 Prolira was founded by Rutger van Merkerk and Annemarie Willems to improve worldwide detection of delirium. The company is a spin-off of the University Medical Center Utrecht. Prolira is the first company in the world to bring an objective medical device for monitoring of delirium.
Holland Venture
Holland Venture is one of the first independent private equity firms in the Netherlands and has been successfully and responsibly investing in promising small and medium-sized Dutch businesses with growth ambitions for more than 30 years. With a clear investment strategy, they anticipate long-term trends in attractive growth markets, focusing on the Healthcare and Technology sectors. An experienced and dedicated investment team knows entrepreneurship. They aim for an open, sustainable and professional relationship with management teams, with sustainable growth as a common goal. Holland Venture is supported by a broad network of successful entrepreneurs in Healthcare and Technology.
Health Innovations
Since 2007 Health Innovations invests in Dutch companies aimed at improving health care, with a focus on early stage investments. In the past 10 years they invested in 20 Dutch companies who have contributed to improving care processes. With powerful entrepreneurship and a market-oriented approach, both quality gains and financial returns have achieved. Current and former portfolio companies are present in the field of services, software and medical technology. Shareholders in the funds of Health Innovations are ABN AMRO, Mediq and health insurers Achmea and VGZ. The Dutch Government supports Health Innovations with the Seed Capital scheme.