Bone health specialist Ibex Innovations has secured £2m of investment and says its latest software could change screening for undiagnosed osteoporosis.
The Sedgefield-based medtech has secured funding from a range of investors including IP Group, Mercia, North East Finance and Nordson, among others. Ibex CEO Paul Scott said the money will be used to prove the market for the firm's software which integrates with mammography and x-ray machinery to offer early detection of osteoporosis from routine x-rays.
From its base at NETPark, Ibex has launched its Bone Health software in the Ƶ alongside partners Agfa Radiology. Initially focusing on the domestic market via the NHS, Ibex will later move on to export the system which the firm says has the potential to save the health service millions and prevent nearly 5,000 fractures, which stem from weakening of the bones from osteoporosis.
Dr Sarah Jarvis, a GP, medical broadcaster and chief medical advisor at Ibex Innovations, is calling for an urgent overhaul in how osteoporosis is detected. Despite being physically active and showing no obvious risk factors, Dr Jarvis was diagnosed with severe osteoporosis at the age of 60.
She said: “I've spent years warning my patients about the dangers of osteoporosis, yet the NHS's approach remains grossly inadequate. Many people are diagnosed only after experiencing one or more fractures, and access to essential diagnostic tools like DEXA scans is hampered by long waiting times that vary by region.
"The ideal would be to identify people at high risk before they ever have a fracture – but at the very least, we should be assessing everyone who has had a low impact fracture for their risk of osteoporosis through a Fracture Liaison Service (FLS). Alarmingly, only half of NHS trusts offer this service. This fragmented system urgently needs reform to prevent unnecessary suffering and healthcare costs."
Osteoporosis is thought to affect more than 3.5m people in the Ƶ - and women, particularly during the menopause, are at significantly higher risk. It is sometimes called the silent disease and can lie undetected until a life-changing fracture.
Dr Jarvis added: “With an ageing population, we can’t afford to wait for fractures. Osteoporosis is treatable with cost-effective medications that reduce fracture risk. We need better screening, and Ibex Bone Health could close the gap in early detection.”
Paul Scott, CEO of IBEX Innovations, said: “Our software enables osteoporosis to be detected before a serious fracture occurs—giving people a crucial window to take action. The numbers speak for themselves: research shows that we could save the NHS £65.9 million over the next decade, prevent nearly 5,000 fractures and free up more than 50,000 hospital bed days. But this isn’t just about savings—it’s about preventing life-changing injuries before they occur.
"With powerful new treatments such as Abaloparatide now approved for use by the NHS, the challenge is now about finding these patients, ideally before they fracture. This is where we believe IBEX BH can really make the difference."
