PQE Group, an Italy-based consulting firm specialising in life sciences, has joined the Project-COMFORT consortium to advance patient-centric blood collection and diagnostics.
The 42-month public-private partnership is funded by Horizon Europe, a research funding programme offered by the European Union (EU).
Also, it is supported by the EU’s Innovative Health Initiative Joint Undertaking (IHI JU), which was recently launched to advance blood collection and diagnostics.
The consortium comprises 51 organisations from different sectors, including academia, research, hospitals, foundations, SMEs, medical technology, and pharma companies.
Together, the organisations aim to simplify, reduce invasiveness, and increase accessibility to blood collection through advanced, patient-centred microsampling technology.
PQE Group advanced technologies competence centre lead Luca Zanotti Fragonara said: “We are proud to collaborate on this groundbreaking project, which perfectly aligns with our commitment to advancing healthcare solutions that prioritise patients.
“Together with our partners, we aim to make blood collection and diagnostics more accessible, comfortable, and efficient, ultimately improving health outcomes globally.”
According to PQE Group, traditional blood collection methods, such as venipuncture, can be uncomfortable and burdensome for patients with limited mobility, and those in rural areas.
To address the obstacles, Project-COMFORT will advance the patient-centric microsampling approach for collecting smaller blood samples comfortably at home or in other locations.
The project will leverage the individual expertise of its partners, including healthcare providers, research institutions, patient advocacy groups, and technology innovators.
It aims to involve regulatory and HTA experts from the start to ensure the best chances for successful project implementation and better uptake of project results.
The collaboration integrates advanced clinical research, regulatory compliance, and technological development, to advance microsampling as a recognised standard.
With expertise from different disciplines, the consortium partners are jointly creating a model that can lead to more patient-centred, effective healthcare in the future, said PQE Group.
Eli Lilly and Company director project leader Antoniu Fantana said: “Our goal is to redefine diagnostics by placing patient needs at the forefront and expanding healthcare access globally.
“Together with 51 dedicated organisations, we are committed to establishing a new standard in blood collection and diagnostics that combines patient comfort and accessibility with higher quality data.”
