GUILFORD, Conn., Nov. 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyperfine, Inc., creator of the first FDA-cleared portable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) device, Swoop®, today announced it received an additional $3.3 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to expand the use of its portable MRI technology in developing countries. Based on promising early results from an initial $1.6 million grant, this new funding will extend a global research program that is currently assessing the clinical feasibility of the Hyperfine Swoop Portable MR Imaging System™ in providing immediate point-of-care (POC) brain imaging to young children between the ages of 0-24 months in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).

The utilization of MRI technology to assess early brain development in children is critical to better understanding how to diagnose and manage birth asphyxia, sepsis, encephalitis, and meningitis, among many other neurological diseases and conditions. A total of 25 Swoop systems are being deployed across multiple research and clinical study sites in Europe, Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa, to better understand the utility and applicability of low-field MR imaging to deliver accessible neuroimages that could provide an opportunity for early therapeutic intervention, and potentially become the standard of care, for infants and children during critical developmental stages.

"We are honored by the continued support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which will help us expand our ability to push the boundaries of conventional imaging technology and improve patient access to accurate, timely diagnosis and care," said Dr. Khan Siddiqui, chief medical officer at Hyperfine. "The initial grant has already allowed us to gather important research, and we look forward to having an even greater impact with this investment as we continue expanding to new sites and geographies."
The ability to monitor early brain development plays a pivotal role in treating and minimizing the neurological damage incurred by malnutrition in children from LMIC. According to the World Health Organization, nearly half of all deaths in children under five years old are linked to nutrition-related factors. Malnutrition also contributes to long-term impacts on impoverished communities, such as education disparity, especially among females. Hyperfine, with support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is working to break this vicious cycle in the developing world.

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