Accenture (NYSE: ACN) has made a strategic investment, through Accenture Ventures, in Virtonomy, a provider of data-driven simulations that use existing patient data and digital twin technology to bring life-saving medical devices to market more quickly. Accenture’s investment will help Virtonomy further extend its capabilities to medical technology (MedTech) companies across the globe and power the future of medical device design.
Virtonomy’s digital twin simulation solution enables medical device manufacturers to build model patient virtual environments for device testing at a reduced cost and with a lesser degree of regulatory complexity. The solution is based on an ever-expanding database of real clinical data that reflects factors such as anatomical variability, demographic diversity, and pathological conditions.
“Digital twin technology, alongside data, analytics and AI, is opening the door to endless new possibilities to reinvent the life sciences industry,” said Tom Lounibos, managing director of Accenture Ventures. “But there must always be a strong data foundation to build accurate digital twin simulations. We will work with Virtonomy to set a strategy for real-time data collection that includes high-quality historic data, as well as continuous data monitoring and validation from new sources.”
For instance, Virtonomy’s solution can use existing data from clinical trials with children to create virtual environments where medical devices can be easily set up, adjusted and validated, and potential impact is seen immediately. This approach saves time and still meets regulatory and ethical demands. Based in Munich, Germany, Virtonomy comprises an interdisciplinary team of experts in medical engineering, image and data processing, visualization and clinical practice.
Petra Jantzer, Ph.D., a senior managing director and global lead of the Accenture Life Sciences practice, said, “MedTech companies are prioritizing digital health by investing in R&D, technology, digital transformation and creating new business models. Virtonomy’s digital twin technology can help enhance medical device design in a virtual patient setting, accelerating development timelines and reducing costs, risk, and regulatory barriers. Virtonomy is reinventing how medical devices are safely and quickly brought to patients.”… Read the press release here.
