Medlyse, a Vantaa-based start-up founded in 2023, has become the latest member of the CleverHealth Network (CHN) led by HUS Helsinki University Hospital. With a team of five, Medlyse is developing innovative sensor technology designed to monitor and detect a variety of illnesses by analysing the air from a patient’s breath.
According to Hans Haase, R&D Manager at Medlyse, the company is currently developing sensor technologies for an early detection of illnesses such as sepsis and ketosis in premature babies. The technology using tens of different gas-detecting sensors and AI aims to identify deviations in breath biomarkers — potentially predicting and preventing fatal illnesses before they develop.
Medlyse has completed their first pilot devices, and the company is in negotiations with HUS Helsinki University Hospital to begin clinical testing in newborn intensive care. Haase will oversee clinical validation and collaboration with clinicians, ensuring the technology meets the highest standards for patient safety and efficacy.
The Medlyse approach stands out from other breath analysis devices in being able to perform continuous measuring while other devices take one-off sample from breath, at the same time requiring blowing into the device. With the Medlyse device, just breathing is sufficient to perform the analysis. Medlyse’s solution is unique in its method and predictive capability, prompting the company to seek patent protection as well as approval from the Finnish Medicines Agency (Fimea). An important aspect especially regarding premature babies is that the method is non-invasive and highly sensitive capable of analysing the biomarkers from the exhaust air.
Medlyse is connected with Airlyse, another company focusing on internal air monitoring in day care centres and hospitals, and their sensors were part of the recently completed E3 Excellence in Pandemic Response and Enterprise Solutions project.
Joining CHN was, in Haase’s words, “a no-brainer.” The collaborative power of the network, along with access to large companies and international stakeholders, was a significant factor in the decision. Medlyse expects that clinical collaborations and piloting with HUS experts will be crucial for clinical validation, especially given the expertise and data available on premature babies within HUS. Additionally, Medlyse is eager to tap into the AI development expertise among the companies within the CHN network and benefit from the shared knowledge base.
In return, Medlyse brings a novel approach to illness detection, offering the network a fresh perspective from a start-up. The technology’s ability to detect biomarkers for sepsis and ketosis could, in the future, be extended to detect other serious conditions such as lung cancer. Initial applications will focus on premature babies in intensive care units.
Looking ahead, Medlyse envisions its technology being widely adopted in hospitals both in Finland and internationally. The company hopes that the support and connections available through the CleverHealth Network will accelerate the journey from innovation to commercialisation, ultimately improving patient care through earlier and safer illness detection.
