Assignment by imec Venture Development
The imec OnePlanet Research Center is a multidisciplinary collaboration between Wageningen University & Research, Radboud University, Radboudumc and imec in the Netherlands. It has developed a smart ingestible sensor pill for gastrointestinal monitoring.
Combined with a data collection device and associated data analysis, the ingestible sensor pill can monitor temperature, transit time, pH and oxidation-reduction potential – ORP – in the human digestive tract. These parameters can provide insights into the localization of disorders, dysbiosis and inflammatory status of the intestinal tract, including inflammatory bowel disease.
I was asked to investigate the applicability of the ingestible pill in diagnostic and therapeutic markets. I conducted a market survey with key opinion leaders in IBD and IBS, clinical diagnostic laboratories, microbiome-based therapeutic companies and medical technology firms active in gastrointestinal monitoring.
At the request of a potential investor, I also mapped the successes and failures of previous ingestible pill ventures by tracking down and interviewing their original founders.
Reference: Dr. Vishal Nayer, Senior Venture Development Manager, imec
