BlinkLab\u2019s app diagnoses autism early through blink reflex analysis
\nThe company is co-founded and chaired by Resapp founder, Brian Leedman
\nStockhead reached out to Leedman to ask him why BlinkLab could be a game changer\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Autism is a huge market, affecting 1 in 54 children in the US, with an estimated value of around US$700 billion. Healthcare expenses associated with autism are also on a sharp, steep rise globally.<\/p>\n
However, current methods for diagnosing autism often occur late, typically around ages 5-6, missing the crucial early intervention window that is known to significantly improve outcomes for children.<\/p>\n
The process is also complicated, and involves input from different experts like psychiatrists, psychologists, and therapists. It\u2019s costly, time-consuming, and the diagnostic tools often rely on subjective judgments rather than objective measures.<\/p>\n
Enter BlinkLab (ASX:BB1)<\/a><\/strong>, an exciting new entrant on the ASX, which has emerged as one of the pioneers that could revolutionise these traditional approaches.<\/p>\n BlinkLab was co-founded by current chair Brian Leedman,<\/strong> a serial tech entrepreneur who has carved out a reputation as a visionary in digital health solutions.<\/p>\n His notable ventures include ResApp Health<\/strong>, the former ASX-listed company known for its diagnostic respiratory app which was acquired by Pfizer in 2022 for around $200m.<\/p>\n Leedman explained that autism, as well ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder),\u00a0often present unique challenges in early detection, which can lead to delayed intervention and poorer outcomes.<\/p>\n BlinkLab\u2019s solution? Exploit the power of facial reflexes \u2014 specifically blinks \u2014 as biomarkers for early detection.<\/p>\n \u201cImagine using your smartphone\u2019s camera to capture subtle facial responses that indicate neurological conditions,\u201d Leedman told Stockhead<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a paradigm shift in how we approach diagnosis and intervention.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n BlinkLab\u2019s smartphone application utilises facial reflexes, specifically how individuals react with blinks to auditory stimuli.<\/p>\n The app captures facial reactions using the phone\u2019s front-facing camera while playing specific sounds or beeps.<\/p>\n By analysing the timing and frequency of blinks and other facial responses, BlinkLab\u2019s technology can provide insights into potential neuro-developmental conditions like autism.<\/p>\n Leedman explained that this method capitalises on the known phenomenon that individuals with autism and ADHD often exhibit different responses to unexpected sounds \u2013 such as blinking more frequently or differently compared to neuro-typical individuals.<\/p>\n Research has found that non-autistic individuals often get used to repeated sounds, leading to less blinking over time. In contrast, autistic individuals may continue to blink in response to these sounds, reflecting differences in how they process sensory information.<\/p>\n To assess this theory, researchers had conducted tests using single beep sounds followed by double beep sounds separated only by milliseconds.<\/p>\n The study found that non-autistic individuals generally did not exhibit a blink response to the double beep sounds, indicating their ability to filter out unexpected auditory stimuli.<\/p>\n \u201cBut the autistic person, who has a background noise filtering issue and that\u2019s what makes them autistic, can\u2019t filter their environment the way a neurotypical person can, and for whatever reason, they do blink in response this stimuli,\u201d said Leedman.<\/p>\n \u201cThis inherent difference was discovered more than 50 years ago, and forms the basis of BlinkLab\u2019s diagnostic technology that was developed and patented by Princeton University.\u201d<\/p>\n According to Leedman, this patent is crucial for attracting investment through licensing agreements or acquisition by larger companies such as major pharmaceutical or tech firms.<\/p>\n \u201cCompanies like Apple Health or Google Health are not going to buy or license a technology if it\u2019s not completely patented or protected,\u201d said Leedman.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd universities are very good at doing that, which is why BlinkLab has a global licence on this research conducted at Princeton for 25 plus years.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Blinklab\u2019s platform shows promise not only in autism but also in addressing ADHD, a significantly larger market opportunity due to its broader patient base.<\/p>\n Leedman explained that similar principles of blink response analysis can be applied to differentiate ADHD from autism and neurotypical behaviours.<\/p>\n The app\u2019s ability to measure blink reflex times with high precision, down to a thousandth of a second, is pivotal in distinguishing between these two conditions.<\/p>\n \u201cThe time between the stimulus and the blink determines whether the person is autistic or has ADHD. We\u2019re talking about milliseconds here,\u201d said Leedman.<\/p>\n \u201cAn autistic person would generally blink first after hearing the stimuli, before the ADHD person does.\u201d<\/p>\n Leedman\u2019s explanation can be seen clearly on the graph below:<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Source: BlinkLab<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n In the future, the BlinkLab app could also potentially categorise individuals on the autism spectrum.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not going to lay claim to this yet. But the research conducted at Princeton indicated that we could not only diagnose autism, but also place the person on the spectrum,\u201d said Leedman.<\/p>\n \u201cThat hasn\u2019t been proven yet, but it is clearly something that we would like to focus more funds into because that would be phenomenal,\u201d said Leedman.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Drawing from his success with ResApp, Leedman highlights the advantages of developing and commercialising digital health applications over traditional drugs.<\/p>\n He explains that traditional drug development is a lengthy, costly, and risky process. It involves several phases of clinical trials, starting with preclinical tests in vitro (test tubes) and in vivo (animal testing), followed by multiple phases of human trials.<\/p>\n These trials, aimed at ensuring safety and efficacy, can take over a decade and cost tens of millions of dollars. The risk is high, as any adverse effects in animals or humans can halt the development process.<\/p>\n In contrast, digital health apps like those developed by BlinkLab and ResApp bypass many of these hurdles.<\/p>\n For instance, ResApp\u2019s technology, which uses a smartphone to diagnose respiratory diseases from the sound of a cough, eliminated the need for extensive safety trials.<\/p>\n \u201cA clinical trial of drugs on humans is all about safety,\u201d Leedman noted.<\/p>\n \u201cBut the primary concern for digital health apps is efficacy rather than safety, significantly reducing the time and cost required to reach the market.\u201d<\/p>\n Moreover, digital health apps can quickly generate revenue and gain hospital approval for trials without the stringent safety concerns associated with drugs.<\/p>\n This rapid development cycle allows for a faster commercial outcome, making digital health an appealing sector for investors.<\/p>\n Leedman says the success of ResApp and the promising technology of BlinkLab, which also utilises AI and machine learning, illustrate this enormous potential of digital health apps.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n BlinkLab has several near-term catalysts lined up for the latter half of this year.<\/p>\n One of the major upcoming catalysts is the initiation of the FDA registrational study for autism.<\/p>\n Scheduled for the second half, this large-scale study will be conducted in partnership with prestigious university hospitals in the United States.<\/p>\n Although the specific institutions have not yet been disclosed, the results of this trial are expected in the first quarter of next year and will be crucial for investors.<\/p>\n Positive outcomes here could pave the way for regulatory approval, making BlinkLab\u2019s technology a frontrunner in the autism diagnostic space.<\/p>\n In addition to the autism trial, BlinkLab is also gearing up for the FDA clinical trial for ADHD, either in Q4 of this year or Q1 of next year.<\/p>\n This trial addresses a significantly larger market than autism, given the higher prevalence of ADHD diagnoses.<\/p>\n The ADHD trial however will follow a similar path to the autism trial, leveraging lessons learned from previous experiences to streamline the process.<\/p>\n Source: BlinkLab<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Leedman believes BlinkLab\u2019s potential could appeal to both societal needs and investor interests.<\/p>\n \u201cIn Australia, the NDIS spends 35% of its funds, its single biggest expenditure, specifically on autism and children. So we\u2019re talking about a huge issue here in this country,\u201d says Leedman.<\/p>\n \u201cAlso, investors love to hear about a technology or concept that\u2019s easy to understand.<\/p>\n \u201cI find that that\u2019s certainly what appealed with Resapp, it wasn\u2019t difficult to get your head around the idea of an app that could analyse the sounds of a cough to detect a respiratory disease. Which is why Pfizer ended up buying the company.<\/p>\n \u201cSo the value proposition for BlinkLab is pretty similar. We have an app here that can diagnose an autistic or ADHD individual at a very young age.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause of that, we can get the best clinical outcome for these children and that\u2019s of massive interest to Big Pharma, because Big Pharma are the ones who develop the drugs to treat these children.\u201d<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n\n \u00a0<\/p>\n \ufeff<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n The post Can BlinkLab\u2019s autism diagnosis tool replicate the huge success of ResApp?<\/a> appeared first on Stockhead<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"How BlinkLab\u2019s technology works<\/h2>\n
Blinklab also tackles ADHD and potentially, autism spectrum<\/h2>\n
Why health devices could be better than drugs for investors<\/h2>\n
Crucial trials happening in the near term<\/h2>\n