Since doctors lack a completely accurate way of screening out melanoma, the nomela test has been developed to assist the process, fulfilling an unmet need and reducing the burden on the healthcare system. This is even more important now due to the COVID-19 crisis, where the NHS and healthcare professionals are looking to digital-first options and ways to reduce the need for patients to be managed and treated in a hospital setting.
GPs and other primary care professionals will be able to use a dedicated and secure nomela iPad to take high quality accurate images of the suspect skin lesion, which are analysed against five algorithms to provide an instant result, either "No evidence of melanoma" or "Melanoma not excluded”.
Joe Ferreira, Marketing Director at Moletest (Scotland) Ltd explains: “We are the only company to have developed a rule out test for melanoma. We have serious ambitions, especially in the current healthcare environment, where technology is king and there is a real need to provide innovative solutions that are sustainable and efficient. Following previous trials with NHS Lanarkshire, our latest trial with Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, aims to further confirm the accuracy of nomela®, which, as a test specifically for healthcare professional use, will fundamentally improve the patient pathway in dermatology care and provide substantial cost savings to health services.”
Clinical studies with nomela, in conjunction with NHS Lanarkshire, are due to be published by the British Association of Dermatologists Annual Meeting in September 2020. These show that, with ranges set by nomela at 100% sensitivity for melanoma, 53% of non-melanoma lesions may be assessed as "no evidence of melanoma". By extrapolation, if used by a GP, nomela could therefore reduce the number of unnecessary dermatology referrals by more than 50%, potentially saving the NHS £125M per annum.
