Folium Optics wins £1m for medicine adherence device

Folium Optics has won £1 million in funding from SBRI Healthcare to develop My Health Tags, a prototype device designed to improve medicine adherence

The Small Business Research Initiative for Healthcare (SBRI Healthcare) competition was launched by NHS England in partnership with the Academic Health Science Networks to find innovative products and services to address the problem of medicine adherence.

Folium Optics’ solution builds on the Internet of Things – My Health Tags consists of a smart electronic tag attached to medicine packaging and a separate lightweight portable reminder unit.

The tag has an 'always-on' vivid display that shows which medicine should be taken and when.

The reusable tags will still work if the medication is taken outside the home and can be configured by the pharmacist, carer or user.

Those entering old age (65-75) will initially be targeted and the system will be developed to work for other groups.

 Steve Kitson, CEO of Folium Optics, said: “The tags are made possible by our plastic display technology as our displays are very thin, robust and can be any shape. We have built a fully functioning system solution consisting of tags, reminder unit and the cloud service and apps to connect them together. 

“We are delighted to win this funding. It will allow us to take the next step in developing our technology and ultimately to help patients. It’s a really tough technical challenge and exactly the sort of project we thrive on at Folium Optics.”

Folium has said that during the next 12 months it will develop the technology and carry out the first clinical evaluation.