An Interview with Transmural Biotech S.L Leadership: ‘Our Technology is Constantly Improving, Learning from the Images it Analyzes, and Increasing its Strength and Scalability Day by Day’

“In just over five years, more than 93,000 pregnant women have benefited from the advantages of quantusFLM and the doctors’ reactions have been overwhelmingly positive.”

The health sector is obliged to undergo strong modifications in the coming years. The effect of the economic crisis is forcing to find cheaper and more efficient solutions for the current clinical practice, and at the same time, the growth of the life expectancy and aging of the population forces a deep rethinking of the whole system.

Transmural Biotech S.L’s mission is to develop innovative products and services in the clinical field applying image analysis technologies that allow a personalized, economical, non-invasive, and efficient medicine. In this way, the company aligns with the trends that follow in the evolution of the health sector, which can provide effective solutions to the current problems that it’s suffering.

Transmural focuses on developing innovative medical technologies based on image analysis and processing to provide health professionals with additional information that current technologies cannot provide and substantially improve the quality of service they offer to patients.

The company was incorporated in 2009 and is headquartered in Madrid, Spain.

David Fernandez (Co-founder/MD), Silvia Sánchez (Director), Transmural Biotech S.L Leadership, spoke exclusively to The Silicon Review. Below is an excerpt.

Why was the company set up, Mr. Fernandez?

The company was created through a spin-off of the clinic hospital in Barcelona based on a first product called quantusFLM. From here it was demonstrated that using the same technology that was developed transversally, new products can be created.

What challenges did you face in your initial years, Ms Sánchez?

The biggest challenge was to maintain a sufficient degree of research and develop a direction capable of maintaining the company itself. We’re currently working to develop new products but in turn in the search for international distributions and marketers worldwide.

How successful was your first project roll on? Share the experience, Mr. Fernandez.

We achieved great success with quantusFLM because it was the demonstration that, through an ultrasound scan, a more advanced, faster and more reliable diagnosis was achieved than with a traditional invasive clinical test. That was the success of a model for different diagnoses:

Measuring extract subtle and detailed information (texture) of the medical ultrasound images and relate these texture changes to the microstructural changes of the tissue, building a bridge between medical ultrasound and specific pathological processes.

What kind of responses have you received from your consumers over the years? How have they motivated you to shape your offerings/grow the company, Ms Sánchez?

Our innovative technology and clinical use have already been implemented in 17 countries, with more than 700 medical centers. In just over five years, more than 93,000 pregnant women have benefited from the advantages of quantusFLM and the doctors’ reactions have been overwhelmingly positive. The same change is following quantusPREMATURITY.

This extension of our clients and the pregnant women they serve requires us to have to answer each of the professional and dynamic forms of the questions we’re asked.

Just as our technology feeds back with the multiplication of diagnostic tests, the concerns that our clients send us to provide feedback on how to distribute our products and after-sales service.

Building a culture of sustainability inside an organization is very important to maintain a reputation in the global market. How is it true for your company, Mr. Fernandez?

In our case, sustainability is given by powerful alliances in research, especially those related to artificial intelligence (AI). Our main partner in this sustainability of innovation is BCNatal, a world leader in medical research based on extracting subtle and detailed information (texture) from medical ultrasound images.

A company’s behavior is as important as its economic performance or the quality of its products. How do you interpret this saying, Ms Sánchez?

Technology based on AI has to be applied very carefully in health-related matters. Having machines that make decisions that directly affect human life must be carefully monitored, ensuring, on the one hand, that ethical issue is not infringed and, on the other hand, that the technology has been abundantly tested and the error margins a re extremely low and determined.

Is your company a leader or follower, Mr. Fernandez?

Clearly, we’re leaders in the sector. We’re present throughout Europe in the largest Hospitals in Latin America; an agreement with a Chinese pharmacist who is already testing our products for six months in a satisfactory way with thousands of tests performed is also being closed. The big challenge today is the entry of the United States through the FDA.

What do you feel are the reasons behind your company’s reputation, Ms Sánchez?

In our field, reputation has a main basis: the demonstration of our quantitative predictions remains more accurate than outdated methods. The other reputational bases are in obtaining the confidence of doctors and mothers that our methods are:

• Fast (offer results immediately),
• Easy to use (they adapt to all existing ultrasound),
• Saving generators, by greatly reducing costs in incubators and in hospitalization days,
• Of great help to determine the best time for delivery,
• Health generators, by avoiding tests with percentages of danger to the mother and the fetus, as well as the indiscriminate use of corticosteroids.

‘Leaders cannot optimize results by themselves; they need employees’ support and assistance.’ How does your company interpret this saying, Mr. Fernandez?

We have very motivated doctors and engineers in the search for diagnoses for new pathologies. Our research and development department is the heart and engine of Transmural.

Where do you see your company a couple of years from now, Ms Sánchez?

The future of Transmural should be a biomedicine factory, together with a platform where scientists and doctors can collaborate to create new diagnostic imaging products for fetal pathologies (such as heart and brain) and adult pathologies.

Leadership | Transmural Biotech S.L

David Fernandez: David Fernandez, Co-founder, serves as the Managing Director of Transmural Biotech S.L.

Silvia Sánchez: Silvia Sánchez serves as the Director of Transmural Biotech S.L.

"Our innovative technology and clinical use have already been implemented in 17 countries, with more than 700 medical centers.”