monikit receives EUR 1.86 million funding for the further development of its mobile seizure-detector for epileptics

- Supported by Life Science Inkubator (LSI) Bonn
- Novel system for the detection and documentation of epileptic seizures allows for personalized treatment

Tuebingen/Bonn (Germany), November 22, 2018 – Tuebingen-based spin-out project monikit today announced the start of its incubation at Life Science Inkubator (LSI) Bonn. The incubation comes with a project funding of EUR 1.86 million and is supported by seasoned life science and medtech experts.
monikit is developing a system for the sensitive and automatic detection and documentation of generalized and focal seizures in everyday situations. The technology is based on a mobile sensor system and a proprietary algorithm. monikit’s product for the first time will enable the recording of unbiased information on occurrence and type of epileptic seizures during the everyday life of patients. For the patient’s physician it will be easier to individually adapt the medication towards faster and improved clinical results. In addition, monikit’s technology can be used to alert family members in case of a severe seizure.

The monikit idea was developed by founders Florian Lutz and Kevin Klett during their Master studies. Prof. Dr. Yvonne Weber, scientific advisor of monikit and Senior Physician with focus on epileptology in the neurology department of University Hospital Tuebingen and the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research (HIH), immediately realized the potential of a mobile detector for seizures. At University Hospital Tuebingen, the project team successfully identified characteristic medical values that are changing during seizures. These values now constitute the basis of monikit’s algorithm for the detection of seizures.
At LSI, monikit will receive approximately €1.86 million research and development funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) over the next three years. The team will use the proceeds to fund the next steps of its technology and product development.

“We identified a great demand for a mobile seizure-detector, both for personalized therapy and for the monitoring of outpatients with epilepsy,” said Kevin Klett. Florian Lutz added: “As a first step, we will use the funding to strengthen our team in computer and data science and to greatly extend our clinical data collection among epileptics.”

„We are quite happy to not only provide this ambitious project and the highly committed project team with funding, but also with access to our huge medtech network and know-how,“ said Dr. Jörg Fregien, CEO of LSI.

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About epilepsy
With more than 50 million patients, epilepsy is among the most common neurological disorders world-wide. The disease is characterized by repeated, non-provoked generalized or focal epileptic seizures. The latter are constrained to an area of the brain only and often visually unobtrusive for bystanders, while generalized seizures affect the entire cerebrum and usually are associated with stiffening of the body and rhythmic convulsions. Treatment of the condition initially is pharmacological. However, for a lasting success, therapy needs a precise diagnosis of the disease, based on documented and classified seizures both in the clinical and the outpatient setting.

About monikit
Since 2016, the monikit project group has been conducting research in collaboration with physicians and epileptologists Dr. Dr. Henner Koch and Prof. Dr. Yvonne Weber, neurology department of the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research (HIH), University Hospital Tuebingen. Initially, the project was funded by the EXIST Business Start-up Grant of the Federal Ministry of Economy (BMWi, 2016); subsequently it was funded by the “Young Innovators” program of the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg´s Ministry of Science, Research and Arts (2017/18). By joining LSI, monikit will receive EUR 1.86 million funding over three years.

The University Hospital Tuebingen
Founded in 1805, the University Hospital Tuebingen is one of the leading centres of German university medicine. As one of 33 University Hospitals in Germany, it contributes to a successful combination of top-level medicine, research, and teaching.
More than 400,000 in- and outpatients from around the world benefit from this connection of science and practice each year, since the clinics, institutes, and centres unite specialists from all fields under one roof. Its experts collaborate across disciplines and offer state-of-the-art research-based treatment to all patients. The University Hospital does research to improve diagnostics, therapies, and healing processes. Many new cutting-edge treatments are clinically tested and applied in Tuebingen.
Neurosciences, Oncology and Immunology, Infection Biology, Vascular Medicine and Diabetes are focus areas of research at the University Hospital Tuebingen. It is a reliable partner in four of the six German Centres for Health Research (DZG) created by the Federal Government. www.medizin.uni-tuebingen.de/en/

About the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research (HIH)
Founded in 2001, the Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research (HIH) was brought to life by an agreement between several entities: the non-profit Hertie Foundation, the State of Baden-Württemberg, the University of Tübingen and its Medical Faculty, and the University Hospital of Tübingen. The HIH deals with one of the most fascinating fields of today´s research: the decoding of the human brain. The main question is how certain diseases affect brain functions. In its daily work, the HIH builds the bridge from basic research to clinical application. Its goal is to facilitate new and more effective strategies for diagnosis, therapy and prevention. At present, the HIH is home to a total of 21 professors and about 380 employees.

About Life Science Inkubator GmbH (LSI)
Life Science Inkubator GmbH (LSI) is located at the research hub caesar in Bonn, Germany, and offers potential entrepreneurs an incubation concept which is unique in Germany. Innovative projects in biotechnology, pharmaceuticals and medtech are evaluated at an early stage and advanced to financing and market stages in close collaboration with the respective project group. The incubation concept is based on five elements: evaluation, seed financing, project management, HR and industry transfer. After a successful spin-off, a fund dedicated to follow-on financing called LSI Pre-Seed-Fonds GmbH is available.
Further information can be found at: www.life-science-inkubator.de (German only)

Contacts
Kevin Klett
Project Group monikit
Life Science Inkubator GmbH
Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2
D-53175 Bonn, Germany
Tel.: +49 228-227790-17
Fax: +49 228-227790-29
klett@life-science-inkubator.de

Prof. Dr. Yvonne Weber
Department Neurology and Epileptology
Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research
Universitätsklinikum Tübingen
Hoppe-Seyler Straße 3
D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
Tel.: +49 7071-29-80443
Fax: +49 7071-29-4488
yvonne.weber@uni-tuebingen.de

Dr. Mareike Kardinal
Director of Communications
Hertie Institute for Clinical Brain Research
Otfried-Müller-Str. 27
72076 Tübingen
Tel: 07071 29-8 88 00
Fax: 07071 29-2 50 04
mareike.kardinal@medizin.uni-tuebingen.de

Dr. Frank Striggow
Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Life Science Inkubator GmbH
Ludwig-Erhard-Allee 2
D-53175 Bonn, Germany
Tel.: +49 228-227790-33
Fax: +49 228-227790-29
striggow@life-science-inkubator.de

Media Inquiries:
akampion
Dr. Ludger Weß / Ines-Regina Buth
Tel: +49 40 8816 5964
Tel: +49 30 2363 2768
info(at)akampion.com

This release was published on openPR.