DECEMBER 20219before symptoms. This is achieved through the tracking of eye movements using a medical-grade V.R. headset. During the 20-minute evaluation, ViewMind takes 10,000 data points which are then put through an A.I. algorithm, trained to correlate the result with specific pathologies such as Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis to diagnose the different stages, or Parkinson's disease. This quantifiable diagnosis is termed a digital biomarker as it can predict with high accuracy the result, which correlates to traditional chemical biomarkers.These technologies are gaining traction worldwide, with more significant research and investment being made­including from the likes of Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos. Digital tools gather vital health data, including digital biomarkers, which provide valuable insights when formulating personalized treatments, predicting health-related outcomes, and enabling reactive and preventative actions. In the fight against cognitive diseases­and medicine more generally­digital biomarkers will allow healthcare providers to move from episodic care to population health management, which significantly benefits patient care and significant impacts on the healthcare value chain. Like many aspects of the business, the value-chain is feeling the impact of Covid-19, with EY predicting an acceleration of change as employers, pharmacies, and pharmaceutical manufacturers invest in exploring and implementing new innovative solutions. The advancement of digital biomarkers and diagnostics technology, for example, is changing information asymmetries. Care delivery has improved with the increase in the amount and value of data emerging from digital biomarkers, helping advance disease treatment and prevention knowledge. Digital biomarkers are valuable in neurology as they can provide objective measurements to support diagnosis and monitor and quantify the progress of treatment. Within the value chain, digital biomarkers can be leveraged by manufacturers and healthcare providers to demonstrate the real-world value and benefits of a particular therapy­this is becoming increasingly important with the use of outcome-based pricing. It has the effect of increasing collaboration between providers and manufacturers who, with a better understanding of the disease, its progression, and treatment, can create better health outcomes for patients and better value therapies for buyers and providers. Another catalyst for the acceleration of digital biomarkers is the increasing cost ­ and low relative success rate­of drug development. In this arena, digital biomarkers help target specific research areas­such as early-onset Alzheimer's or dementia­thereby reducing drug development failure, time spent in development, and cost. Biogen, for example, has spent more than $28 billion in research and development in neurological conditions since 2003, in which time at least 100 drug development programs have been discontinued to reach the point of a new therapy. Across the value chain, digital biomarkers represent one of the most profound advancements, allowing for more effective drug development at one end and more effective and personalized patient care at the other. The technologies making this possible, such as ViewMind, are revolutionizing the industry and are essential if we want to avoid another two lost decades in the fight against cognitive diseases. Leesa Soulodre
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