POROUS: Revolutionizing Osteoporosis Detection with Advanced Ultrasound Technology

POROUS projects are co-funded by the European Union.

POROUS is beneficiary of the EIC Accelerator grant. The European Innovation Council (EIC) was established by the European Commission in 2021. It has a mission to identify, develop and scale up breakthrough technologies and disruptive innovation. The funding EIC Accelerator supports companies (SMEs, start-ups, spin-outs and in exceptional cases small mid-caps) to bring their innovations to market and scale up. The goal of POROUS EIC-funded project is to support clinical evaluation as an early diagnostic device for osteoporosis.

The ProFIT funding programme is financed by the European Union from the European Regional Development Fund (EFRE) and by the state of Brandenburg. With ProFIT sponsorship, Porous has performed pre-clinical research and development of its innovative bone ultrasound Imaging technology.

Osteoporosis, a global health challenge

Osteoporosis accounts for more days in the hospital than breast cancer, heart attack, diabetes, and other diseases. Due to this fact, the cost that osteoporosis imposes on healthcare budgets is staggering. The economic burden of incident and prior fragility fractures in 2019 in Europe was estimated at €57 billion* (±US$64 billion), while in 2015, the United States spent US$20 billion. A staggering total annual cost of well over US$80 billion and growing.

*source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8789736/

Early detection is vital

Current measurement methods cannot detect the onset of osteoporosis but rather approximate the bone-loss associated relative fracture risk, typically at advanced stages of the disease progression. Early detection is vital because the highest fracture incidence is not seen in people diagnosed to have osteoporosis but in those diagnosed to be healthy or osteopenic (losing bone mass), rendering osteoporosis one of the most underdiagnosed diseases in the western world. Early detection technology to overcome this clinical need was not available, until today.

Microstructure analysis of the cortical bone

The POROUS solution uses quantitative ultrasound (QUS) technology with patented intelligent algorithms being able to measure the cortical bone quality to a microscopic pore level without radiation hazards. The intelligent algorithms overcome the limitations of ultrasound imaging in the bone where waves are scattered, making it impossible to analyze the cortical bone (micro) structure. This unique technology can measure for the first time not only the cortical thickness, but also the microscopic pores and pore-size distribution in human cortical bone of the peripheral skeleton.

Prevention of osteoporosis becomes a reality

Due to the use of ultrasound systems (mobile by design), this solution can be used anywhere in- or outside the hospital, e.g., primary care, elderly homes, or even pharmacies. It creates the ability to use the technology for prevention (screening); being able to diagnose patients already at the onset of osteoporosis.

The POROUS core team

Meet the entire team >

Julia Eschenbrenner

CEO

Jonas Massmann

Chief Technology Officer

Kay Raum

Chief Scientific Officer

We are hiring!

To keep track with POROUS rapid growth and developments, we are looking to fill several positions with highly skilled and driven experts. Click on the vacancies below to read the full profiles.