Edinburgh-based smartphone diagnostics specialist, Novarum DX, has officially been granted a European patent.

The company has been awarded the patent for its diagnostic technology by the European Patent Office (EPO), having previously secured the equivalent patent for its technology in the US earlier in 2018.

The patents protect Novarum’s image-capture technology, which transforms a smartphone into a diagnostic reader when using the mobile’s camera to accurately scan the results of a rapid test.

Results of diagnostics tests can then be securely shared with healthcare professionals online, as part of a mobile eco-system. Patient data is recorded and stored in an end-user portal which enables doctors to monitor a patient’s condition remotely, while developing trend-analysis centred around their condition. The technology enables patients to manage the condition from their own home, and can be used in challenging environments, far from healthcare provision.

Since its acquisition by BBI Solutions in 2016, Novarum has expanded its patent portfolio, which now includes China, Japan, Russia, the US and Europe with a number of other territories pending.

Novarum founder and BBI group head of Mobile, Neil Polwart, said the European patent bolsters the company’s position as a leader in smartphone-enabled point of care diagnostics.

He added: “As the second patent to have been awarded this year, we’re now able to protect our intellectual property across two key territories, the United States and Europe.

“Our patents safeguard our intellectual property and reaffirm Novarum’s position as pioneers for next generation diagnostic technologies.”