Alimetry, a digital healthcare and diagnostic devices start-up, announced today that it has achieved CE Mark for its
first product, a pioneering medical device for enabling diagnosis of gastric diseases.
The new wearable product, called Gastric Alimetry, is positioned to transform the diagnostic pathway for millions of
patients worldwide suffering from diseases such as functional dyspepsia, gastroparesis and chronic nausea and vomiting.
Gastric symptoms are extremely prevalent and impart a vast burden, affecting around 10% of the global population. The
Gastric Alimetry device collects data by non-invasively sensing the activity of the stomach from the body surface. The
data is sent to the cloud for analysis, and is used by clinicians to determine the causes of gastric symptoms and direct
treatment.
Co-Founder and CEO Professor Greg O’Grady said “As clinicians, we lack the tools we need to reliably diagnose gastric
disorders. This contributes greatly to the frustration and suffering of our patients. I was driven to this cause by
seeing too many patients go through laborious, invasive and expensive rounds of repeat diagnostic testing, only to end
up with inconclusive results and confusion. We invented Gastric Alimetry to help address this need. I am immensely proud
of our hard-working team who have delivered an incredibly creative solution with outstanding potential to impact patient
care.”
In addition to successfully achieving CE mark for the Gastric Alimetry product, enabling the company to start
commercializing the medical device in European countries, Alimetry also announced today that it had achieved the ISO
13485 international quality management system accreditation. As it grows global operations, the company has enhanced its
executive team with new appointments. Hanie Yee joined the company as Chief Operating Officer, from her previous role as
Clinical Business Lead at Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, and Professor Chris Andrews, a leading gastroenterologist from Canada, has joined Alimetry as Chief
Medical Officer.
Alimetry has been the culmination of over a decade of award-winning scientific research out of The University of
Auckland, backed by scientific grants from the New Zealand Health Research Council and the US National Institutes of
Health, followed by Callaghan Innovation funding. To support the next phase of growth, the company completed its first
institutional investment round, led by IP Group, a leading international intellectual property commercialisation
company. The investment round was supported by UniServices Ltd (via the University of Auckland’s Inventors’ Fund), and
Matū, a New Zealand early-stage science and deep-tech venture capital fund. The capital raised by Alimetry will be used
to advance the company’s clinical trials, enter the market, and progress regulatory approval in the United States.
The Managing Director of IP Group Australia, Dr Michael Molinari, said “We are excited to be working with Professor
O’Grady and the world-class team at Alimetry to provide a step change in the quality of life for millions of patients
with gastric disorders. This technology, at the intersection of multiple exponentially growing fields such as wearable
medical devices, digital health, and machine-learning assisted diagnostics, is another great example of the breakthrough
innovations coming from our partners at the University of Auckland”.Alimetry ReaderAlimetry System LightAlimetry System On BodyAbout Alimetry
Alimetry was founded in 2019 as a spin-out company from the University of Auckland’s Bioengineering Institute and
Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences. The company was founded on a background of world-leading science in
gastrointestinal diseases. Alimetry is dedicated to improving the lives of patients by delivering innovative medical
solutions to advance GI diagnostics and enable targeted therapies. www.alimetry.comAbout IP Group
IP Group is a leading intellectual property commercialisation company focused on evolving great ideas from its partner
universities into world-changing businesses. The Group pioneered a unique approach to developing these ideas and the
resulting businesses by providing access to business building expertise, capital, scientific insight, and the supporting
infrastructure. In Australia and New Zealand, IP Group works in close partnership with the Go8 Universities and the
University of Auckland to identify ground-breaking technologies, rooted in hard science, which have the most promising
commercial potential. IP Group, which is listed on the Main Market of the London Stock Exchange under the symbol IPO,
has a strong track record of success and its portfolio comprises holdings in early stage to mature businesses across
life sciences and technology.
Discover more at www.ipgroupanz.com
About The University of Auckland Inventors’ Fund. The University of Auckland Inventors Fund is an evergreen, open-ended $20 million investment fund owned and managed by
Auckland UniServices Limited, the commercial company for The University of Auckland. The Inventors’ Fund provides
seed-capital for ventures started out of the University of Auckland. www.uniservices.co.nz
About Matū Fund. Matū is a venture capital fund investing in early-stage science and deep technology commercialisation from education and
research institutions and the private sector. As an open and evergreen fund, Matū takes a long-term investment view and
is aimed at turning ground-breaking ideas into globally focused, IP-rich companies. Matū provides intelligent capital
with active governance, executive management, operational support, and mentorship for founding and executive teams. www.matu.co.nz