Interview with the creators of Clebre as part of the ’12 o’clock on the 12th’ series.
MCSC: What were the main motivations behind the creation of Clebre?
Clebre: The main motivation for creating Clebre was the desire to change the treatment process for sleep breathing disorders. These disorders have various causes and are chronic. This means that their treatment also requires time and adaptation of the therapy to the patient’s current condition. To apply such an approach, we need regular, long-term assessment of the treatment status.
Unfortunately, traditional diagnostic methods, such as polysomnography, do not provide this. They are uncomfortable, complicated, and costly, and also require hospitalization. Moreover, the waiting time for the examination is many months.
This is precisely what we are changing with our Clebre approach – we provide doctors with navigation in the treatment process, and patients with effective treatment.
What innovations does your product bring to the market compared to traditional treatment methods?
As we mentioned, Clebre enables the adaptation of therapy to the patient’s current condition. There are no shortcuts in treating chronic diseases. Clebre doesn’t offer one either, but it enables both the doctor and the patient to navigate this intricate path, making the treatment significantly more effective.
Technically, Clebre introduces several key innovations. Primarily, it’s a wireless sensor that monitors breathing, heart rate, body position, and movement activity during sleep, enabling multi-night observations in home conditions. This makes diagnostics more comfortable and accurate. Additionally, the system uses artificial intelligence to analyze the collected data, allowing for a personalized approach to treating each patient.
Our proposal is for patients with apnea to be able to monitor the severity of the disease and treatment progress on a daily basis. Currently, follow-up examinations are often performed several years apart. This causes a lack of determination to continue the treatment process. Therefore, a huge number of patients with apnea give up treatment after a short time.
Clebre also streamlines the doctor’s work. Clebre provides access to patient data and enables constant supervision over the course of treatment and contact, thus the doctor can react if the patient’s motivation drops. The doctor has the ability to monitor the effectiveness of treatments and generate an optimal treatment path.
At what stage of treatment does the patient use Clebre technology, and what role do medical specialists play in the entire process?
The patient begins using Clebre technology with an initial diagnosis, which includes at least two nights of sleep monitoring at home using our sensor. This is followed by a consultation with a doctor specializing in sleep breathing disorders, who analyzes the collected data and conducts a detailed laryngological examination.
Based on this information, a team of specialists, which may include a laryngologist, dietitian, speech therapist, or dentist, develops an individual treatment plan tailored to the patient’s needs. Throughout the entire treatment process, the patient has a sensor at home for monitoring sleep and breathing quality and also has easier contact with the doctor.
What does the diagnostic process look like in your system? What data do you collect and how does it influence further patient treatment?
The diagnostic process begins with the patient placing the wireless sensor on their neck before sleep. The device records breathing sounds, heart rate, body movements, and position during sleep. The collected data is analyzed using artificial intelligence algorithms, allowing for the identification of problems such as snoring or sleep apnea.
Based on this information, specialists develop a personalized treatment plan, which may include dietary interventions, speech therapy exercises, CPAP therapy, or surgical procedures, depending on the patient’s individual needs.
Your method requires collaboration with various specialists. How is coordination managed between the laryngologist, dietitian, speech therapist, and other team members? Is such collaboration easy?
Collaboration between specialists is a key element of the Clebre Method. Each patient is assigned a primary doctor who coordinates the entire treatment process. Regular team meetings and information exchange through our telemedicine system ensure consistency of actions and allow for ongoing adjustments to the therapeutic plan. Although multidisciplinary collaboration can be challenging, our experience shows that such an approach yields the best results for patients.
Many startups struggle with obtaining funding for development. What was your path like as a startup? What were the biggest challenges initially, and what are they now?
Initially, the biggest challenge was developing the device prototype and confirming its clinical effectiveness. We co-financed the research and development work with our own funds, supported by the National Centre for Research and Development (NCBR).
Currently, we are focusing on preparing and producing the final version of the sensor, which we will be able to use in the process of diagnosing and treating patients.
What actions did you take to build trust in your system among patients and medical professionals? How important was collaboration with the medical sector in this process? And what challenges arose?
From the very beginning, involving medical specialists in the process of creating and testing the Clebre system was crucial for us. We conducted numerous clinical studies in cooperation with reputable medical facilities, which allowed us to confirm the effectiveness and safety of our solution.
Transparency of actions and regular communication of research results helped build trust among both patients and medical professionals. And most importantly – we currently place great emphasis on improving the Clebre Method. We are already managing several dozen patients within this approach. We ensure that the treatment process remains under control and leads to improved patient health. We already have the first patients who have been cured thanks to the Clebre Method and the coordinated treatment process.
Clebre is an example of applying modern technology in medicine. What startup characteristics and product development approaches are key to success in your industry?
Success in the medical industry requires startups to possess several key characteristics and approaches. In our opinion, these are:
- Innovation: introducing new technologies, such as artificial intelligence or the Internet of Things, allows for the creation of novel solutions in diagnostics and therapy. Clebre, utilizing advanced technologies, offers patients the ability to monitor sleep in home conditions, which increases comfort and diagnostic accuracy;
- Focus on prevention and patient well-being: shifting the healthcare paradigm from treatment to prevention is crucial. Startups that educate patients and support a healthy lifestyle contribute to improving quality of life and lowering healthcare costs;
- Interdisciplinarity: combining knowledge from various fields, such as medicine, technology, and data analysis, enables the creation of comprehensive solutions.
Your offer includes year-long patient care. What benefits arise from this long-term approach, both for patients and for the startup?
Clebre offers year-long patient care, which brings numerous benefits, both for the patients and for the startup itself.
Patients gain personalized therapy, meaning an individual approach to treatment tailored to the patient’s specific needs; constant monitoring – which allows for ongoing modification of the therapy plan; and support and education, increasing patient engagement in the treatment process.
The benefits for the startup arising from this form of collaboration include:
- Building patient relationships – long-term care fosters trust and patient loyalty;
- Data collection – long-term monitoring provides valuable data that can be used for further development of products and services;
- Financial stability – ongoing care ensures predictability of revenues and the possibility of planning development.
What development plans are you focusing on now? Do you see further opportunities for Clebre’s development in other areas of health or technology?
Clebre is focusing on the continuous improvement of its diagnostic system and expanding its applications. We plan to integrate with other medical devices and further develop data analysis algorithms, which will allow for even more accurate diagnoses.
Besides technological development, our plans include expansion into other health areas. We are considering applying our technology to monitor other conditions, such as heart rhythm disorders or respiratory diseases.
Establishing partnerships with clinics and hospitals is also an important element. This will enable wider application of the Clebre system in daily medical practice.
Thanks to its innovative approach and continuous development, Clebre has the potential to become a leader in the field of telemedicine and home diagnostics, contributing to improving the quality of life for patients worldwide.
Thank you for the interview.
Clebre is a Polish startup that has created a personal system for the diagnosis and therapy of sleep and breathing disorders. Clebre is the winner of the 2nd edition of the MCSC competition in the R&D track. More information can be found on the website: https://clebre.com/