Medtech startup Synaptiq from Cluj obtains a grant of €158,000 for cancer treatment

The Mediq software is a state-of-the-art technological solution based on data processing with the help of Artificial Intelligence, created and developed in Cluj by Synaptiq company.

The application is designed and developed in collaboration with prestigious doctors and reputable clinics and will help radiation oncologists to identify, delineate and diagnose in an extremely short time the tumours and organs-at-risk during radiotherapy treatment. 

The technology concept developed by Synaptiq is designed to reduce the time required to identify and delineate organs-at-risk and tumours from around four hours to a maximum of 5 minutes. This will increase the chances of survival for millions of patients worldwide.

The analysis of medical imaging with the help of artificial intelligence allows doctors to identify tumours and organs-at-risk and make the right treatment decisions quickly, clearly, and precisely. 

In 2020, more than 8 million people worldwide were diagnosed with cancer. From these, approximately 50% need radiotherapy treatment. Unfortunately, only 3 out of 4 patients get access to treatment.

This happens because of the lack of medical personnel and the complexity and long duration of the procedures. Even for those who have access to treatment, the time spent between diagnosis and treatment can be of 5 weeks.

The 158,000 euros received as grant by Synaptiq will be used to develop the technological solution and test a prototype in real clinical conditions, as well as continuously improve its performance.

The funds offered by Innovation Norway for the project "ONCOCARE - Innovative AI SaaS solution for efficient management and delivery of oncology therapies" are part of the program "Development of SMEs in Romania - Support for Startups", supported by the Government of Norway.

"Our motivation is to help those diagnosed with cancer to get access to treatment as quickly as possible. We want to help doctors, giving them the opportunity to save as many lives as possible. The funding obtained from Innovation Norway confirms the need for our solution in this sector, it helps us create a prototype to be tested in clinics, and then apply for product certification. It is an immense joy to see how each step becomes real and how we manage to advance more and more. But the most important thing is that people believe in us and support us by investing in our project", says Dragoș Dușe, co-founder and CEO of Synaptiq.

The Synaptiq team has an ambitious plan, with a long-term vision, in which the solution they are developing will be able to be used not only in Romania, but globally. After the validation and implementation of Mediq, doctors will be able to treat more patients, radiotherapy clinics will be able to allocate the saved financial resources to expand their facilities and services, and patients will receive the appropriate treatment much faster, i.e. they will have significantly better chances of survival.

Synaptiq is a company founded more than two years ago in Cluj, by Dragoș Dușe, Mihai Căta, Roxana Săbău and Diana Andrițchi, and at the moment the team consists of 17 members. The Synaptiq team brings together engineers and business specialists, with studies and PHDs at prestigious universities, such as the University of Bucharest, Amsterdam, Munich, Bristol, and Heidelberg, as well as 6 highly competent Romanian radiation oncologists.