2021 Programme – Diagnostics Accelerator Programme

Market access planning and evidence generation.

One of the most substantial challenges in the development of a novel intervention is adoption by the health system and patients. The most de-risked path to a successful deployment is to validate all of your clinical, financial and social claims with appropriate evidence from a respected body. This way, when you approach the health system, they are comfortable in the knowledge that your product achieves what it is designed to do.   

This evidence focused accelerator programme is delivered in partnership with London In Vitro Diagnostics Co-operative (London IVD) and MedTech SuperConnector. The commitment is expected to be 30-40 hours over a six week period including a series of 1-2-1 meetings with the London IVD team who are specialists in  evidence generation, value propositions and healthcare system adoption strategies. This will be supported with a series of obligatory workshops on these topics. 

For more information about the programme, application process or eligibility criteria sign up for an online briefing session with the London IVD team from 12pm-1pm Wednesday 17 February 2021. To have an informal discussion contact MedTech SuperConnector team (mtsc@imperial.ac.uk). 

Outcomes

Participants will engage directly throughout the programme with researchers at the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) London IVD unit who specialise in impact modelling and technology adoption research. By the end of the programme participants will have a greater understanding of:

• Clinical pathway mapping and impact analysis 
• Work flow mapping and impact analysis
• Who will purchase the product? – often not the same as the user or beneficiary.
• What non budget-able impacts your intervention will have
• What considerations, variables or parameters need to be accounted for optimal product use. 
• Who are the stakeholders involved in the purchase of your innovation.  

The programme will be guided by the London IVD review of your product which will be used to tailor support and inform the business case design workshops. As well as a tailored business case you will learn how to adapt this to various audiences identified on the programme that will support you on your path to health system adoption. The upskilling and assets developed on this accelerator will  be of particular value in further grant or private funding rounds. 

Through the accelerator programme you can also expect to gain: 

• Seed investor (post grant funding) pitch deck design skills for a de risked investor case, customer mapping, exit and market access strategies.
• Business development roadmap design and strategic partners support network access. 
• Advanced understanding and assets to recruit test beds for product development and validation. 
• Advanced business acumen and operational skills 

Who should apply?

Those with mid to late-stage existing technologies looking for market access strategies, private or grant investment funding, typically for adoption evidence.

• MVP technologies looking for advanced funding (preferably seed Investment)
  Medtech diagnostics
• Open to Postdocs, PhD candidates, clinical innovators and alumni from MedTech SuperConnector consortium partners*
• Pre- Accelerator Submission of existing evidence, claims, business case, pitch decks and finance ask.
• Postdocs and PhD candidates must have support from their Principal Investigator or supervisor to be on the programme
• Both those looking to commercialise their offer themselves or to licence the technology to an industry partner

*MTSC partner institutions include Imperial College London, Queen Mary University of London, Bucks New University, Francis Crick Institute, Royal College of Art, Royal College of Music, Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Veterinary College.

More Information

About London-IVD

London In Vitro Diagnostics Co-operative is a partnership between Imperial College London and Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust. We are one of four NIHR centres in England that generate evidence to support diagnostic test development. We achieve this by developing research methods to expedite evidence generation – and by collaborating with various stakeholders to support this process. We work with clinicians to identify unmet needs for diagnostics – and we work with diagnostic test developers to explore the utility of specific tests within UK NHS settings. By facilitating the adoption of new, improved tests into clinical practice we hope to improve the quality of patient care within the NHS.