Midlands Enterprise Awards 2020

47 | Midlands Enterprise Awards 2020 Global Leaders in Alcohol Dependence Treatment Systems 2020 ZenaMed is a new British company developing technological solutions designed to assist people wanting to abstain from alcohol. The company is behind the creation of the Zenalyser, a handheld, dual sensor breath analyser that forms the backbone of ZenaMed’s ground-breaking Zenalyser Treatment System. This system provides remote support and monitoring to deliver intensive care for those who need to abstain from alcohol. Although still a relatively new concept the results are already proving to be more successful than any other treatment available, as Managing Director, Dr Charles Faulder explains. Based in Stoke-on-Trent, ZenaMed is a small British company of medical specialists who each boast decades of experience in the treatment of alcohol addiction, which is working with Ion Science, world-leaders in gas detection technology, to improve the outcomes of people seeking treatment for alcohol problems. Of the three directors, one is the winner of the Laughlin Prize for Psychiatry, was the secretary of the Addictions Faculty of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and Chairman of the UK Regional Representatives for Addiction Psychiatry. He was a National Award holder for clinical excellence. He is now retired from his NHS consultant psychiatrist role, having led a service for 1.4 million people in the Midlands over 20 years. The second is a GP specialist in Addiction Psychiatry, qualified MRCGP with distinction and MSc with distinction in Alcohol Policy and Intervention from Imperial College, London. She currently works in the addiction field in Powys and with the prison service in the Midlands. The third director is a Master of Science and PhD in Biochemistry and is the co-inventor of the Zenalyser. Together they are working to reduce the harms for people afflicted with alcohol issues by reducing risks at home and in the workplace, and keeping those individuals in families and employment. To that end, ZenaMed have produced the Zenalyser Treatment System, designed to provide remote support and monitoring to individuals with alcohol problems, at home, at work or anywhere in the world with an internet connection. The Zenalyser itself is a unique handheld, dual sensor breath analyser that detects both disulfiram metabolites and alcohol on the breath. Sep20625 Disulfiram is a medication which promotes abstinence from alcohol by producing an unpleasant physical reaction if alcohol is consumed. Taking supervised disulfiram everyday has been proven to be more beneficial than other medicines, but without daily supervision, users do not take their prescribed disulfiram regularly and the treatment is rendered ineffective. The Zenalyser system has therefore been designed with this in mind. The user blows into the Zenalyser every day and recieves immediate feedback of their sample result. At the same time, the sample result is automatically forwarded via a Cloud database to supporters by email or SMS messaging, meaning that supporters can send their own encouragement. This data and a photograph of the sample being collected is sent to an independent monitor who can check if the user is abstinent and complying with treatment. The programme is able to automatically create tables and graphs over time to facilitate review and feedback. This system can be used in a clinic setting to obtain objective confirmation of disulfiram compliance or for remote supervision. The Zenalyser system arrives at a time when alcohol treatment services in the UK have been decreasing over the last ten years, reducing access to treatment and support for those who really need it. Whilst services may be decreasing, alcohol consumption and related issues are certainly not, particularly during the recent months of Covid-19. In association with increasing alcohol consumption, domestic abuse is also on the rise. For clinical services, the pandemic has created problems seeing patients face-to-face and supervising treatment, a vital element of the process. The Zenalyser provides the perfect solution. Whilst Coronavirus has put a halt to ZenaMed’s immediate plans, they are looking forward to a new year of growth and development, beginning with a clinical trial in Mannheim, Germany, under Professor Falk Kiefer and a pilot service with the Staffordshire Probation Service, assisting with the management of alcohol-related domestic violence. ZenaMed will also further the development of its collaboration with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) resulting from new regulations requiring pilots to be randomly tested for alcohol, whilst simultaneously furthering sales to NHS alcohol treatment services. As a result, this new, relatively small firm will create a significant, lasting impact on the treatment of alcohol- related issues, benefiting and saving lives across the UK and beyond with their ‘breath-taking’ solution. Contact: Dr Charles Faulder Company: ZenaMed Ltd Web Address: Zenamed .co.uk