EIT Health Invests Over €1M in BREATHE: AI to Halve Asthma and COPD Exacerbations

• EIT Health has backed the BREATHE consortium with nearly 1,400,000 euros to advance the development of a tool based on exhaled biomarkers and artificial intelligence (AI) 

• The project aims to improve the management of asthma and COPD, two of the leading causes of disability and death in Europe, and reduce exacerbations by up to 55%

Fundación EIT Health Spain, Co-Location centre (regional hub) of EIT Health, which is part of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, has selected the Evernoa project, led by the Spanish startup everSens, from the BREATHE consortium, to support it with a funding of almost 1.4 million euros. Evernoa addresses the challenges of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), conditions that affect more than 400 million people worldwide. 

‘We foster collaborative leadership among our members and key players in the ecosystem to make transformative innovation a reality both in Spain and in Europe,’ says Izabel Alfany, Managing Director of Fundación EIT Health Spain, ‘Our commitment to this project, and its consortium partners, reflects our firm commitment to leading the culture of innovation in Spain, while moving towards a tangible improvement in healthcare and the quality of life of patients with chronic respiratory diseases, such as asthma and COPD,’ she adds. 

The BREATHE consortium, which brings together leaders in technology innovation, clinical research and digital health, comprises leading organisations such as everSens, AstraZeneca Spain, GENESIS Biomed, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Universidade de Coimbra, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra and Fundació de Recerca Clínic Barcelona-Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, ensuring a comprehensive approach to address the challenges of respiratory diseases from multiple perspectives.  

Asthma and COPD represent two of the leading causes of death and disability globally. Recent data shows asthma affects more than 360 million people (1) and was responsible for the loss of 21.6 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2019 (2).  COPD, the third leading cause of death worldwide, resulted in the loss of 74.4 million DALYs and more than 3.3 million deaths in the same period (3). 

Despite advances in treatment, these diseases generate a significant economic burden for healthcare systems, with associated costs exceeding €80 billion per year in Europe (4). Moreover, severe exacerbations, which account for most of these costs, can be avoided with more effective monitoring and management strategies. 

This is the context for Evernoa, a platform created by everSens and developed through the BREATHE consortium, which combines exhaled biomarker analysis with artificial intelligence to quickly and accurately assess the risk of respiratory complications. This tool enables both doctors and patients to make informed decisions, reducing hospitalisations and improving quality of life.  

In this way, the Evernoa system is expected to reduce exacerbations in asthma and COPD by up to 55%, which would be equivalent to avoiding more than 1.2 million hospitalisations and freeing up 8 million days of hospital occupancy each year in Europe. In addition, it is estimated that these improvements will recover more than 425 million hours of work and study time, benefiting both patients and caregivers. 

‘The BREATHE project is a reflection of our commitment to innovation in respiratory health, aimed at transforming the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases such as asthma. Thanks to EIT Health, we have been able to establish a collaboration with industry-leading partners that allows us to combine our expertise in medical devices with an interdisciplinary perspective that spans clinical, regulatory and commercial aspects. Through this holistic approach, we accelerate the development and validation of pioneering technologies such as Evernoa, bringing them to market in an efficient manner. By doing so, we not only improve the quality of life of respiratory patients, but also contribute to the sustainability of healthcare systems in Europe,’ explains Leyre Ruete Ibarrola, Co-Founder and CEO of everSens. 

As Dr César Velasco, Director of Innovation and Digital Strategy at AstraZeneca Spain, points out, ‘The BREATHE project symbolises the power of collaboration to transform healthcare. At AstraZeneca, we believe in an approach that combines cutting-edge science and technological innovation to move towards a future without exacerbations. Our participation in BREATHE reinforces our vision of integrated and personalised management of respiratory diseases, benefiting both patients and healthcare systems’. 

Jordi Ortiz, Senior Consultant and Director of Quality at GENESIS Biomed, emphasised that ‘the BREATHE project, funded by EIT Health, represents an essential step for GENESIS Biomed, reinforcing our commitment to innovative healthcare solutions. This initiative is a continuation of our ongoing support for everSens, further enhancing our competences in respiratory health management and patient care.’ 

With the support of EIT Health, the BREATHE consortium is moving towards the integration of digital technologies in healthcare, contributing to the sustainability of healthcare systems and significantly improving the quality of life of respiratory patients. 

References 

1. World Health Organisation. (2021). Asthma. Retrieved November 12, 2024, from https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/asthma 

1. World Health Organisation. (2021). Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Retrieved on 12 November 2024, from https://www.who.int/es/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/chronic-obstructive-pulmonary-disease-%28copd%29 

1.  Pan American Health Organization. (2021). Burden of chronic respiratory diseases. Retrieved November 12, 2024, from https://www.paho.org/en/enlace/chronic-respiratory-disease-burden 

1. Arch Bronconeumol. (s.f.). Farmacoeconomía en el asma y la EPOC. DOI: 10.1016/S0300-2896(05)70626-8  Retrieved November 12,  2024, from https://www.archbronconeumol.org/es-farmacoeconomia-el-asma-epoc-articulo-13074588