Ocean Protocol and how it can benefit the medical research field- partner with Roche Diagnostics HSV GTS Follow Jan 19 · 6 min read

Medical research is a leading use case for data that must follow data protection regulations in support of privacy; and therefore it will need privacy-preserving AI compute services.

Munich-based ConnectedLife [ConnectedLife2018], along with medical researchers at the National Neuroscience Institute of Singapore, specialist professionals and hospital groups in Singapore, Germany, and elsewhere are working towards an objective measurement of the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease.

The goal is to build subject-specific and generalized models based on patient bio-medical and free-living sensor data. However, ethical concerns and personal data protection laws prevent patient data from being copied and shared without considerable transformation of the data taking place and thereby removing much of the value and potential impact in-terms of patient-data-driven applications. A data marketplace makes it easier to connect the data suppliers; and it must be decentralized to avoid the siloing issue. This provides Ocean Protocol with an excellent use case for privacy-preserving compute.

The Roche Diagnostics partnership

Roche Diagnostics is a division of Roche which develops and integrates diagnostic solutions that address the challenges of today and anticipate the needs of tomorrow.

A message from the CEO of Roche Diagnostics, Severin Schwan on Digitalisation of Healthcare

About Roche Diagnostics

Our purpose

We believe it’s urgent to deliver medical solutions right now — even as we develop innovations for the future. We are passionate about transforming patients’ lives. We are courageous in both decision and action and we believe that good business means a better world.

That is why we come to work each day. We commit ourselves to scientific rigour, unassailable ethics, and access to medical innovations for all. We do this today to build a better tomorrow.

We are proud of who we are, what we do, and how we do it. We are many, working as one across functions, across companies and across the world.

Brief history

The founder of Roche, Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche, was a pioneering entrepreneur who was convinced that the future belonged to branded pharmaceutical products.

F Hoffmann-La Roche & Co. was founded at a time when industrial revolution was changing the face of Europe. On October 1, 1896, at the age of 28, Fritz Hoffmann-La Roche launched his company as the successor company to Hoffmann, Traub & Co in Basel, Switzerland. He was among the first to recognise that the industrial manufacture of medicines would be a major advance in the fight against disease. Since then, Roche has grown into one of the world’s leading healthcare companies.

Our Strategy

We focus on finding new medicines and diagnostics that help patients live longer, better lives and evolve the practice of medicine.

We are guided by our purpose: Doing now what patients need next. Our company has a 120-year history of advancing the field of medicine and bringing novel treatments and diagnostics to patients. The patient is and will remain at the core of what we do, the reason we come to work every day.

Our business priorities

We believe in the importance of having a clear set of priorities to guide us through a turbulent and ever-changing environment. Our aim is to achieve long term sustainable growth and deliver value to all our stakeholders.

Key facts and figures

Roche reports very strong growth in 2018

Sales growth was driven by innovative new medicines and demand for immunodiagnostic solutions.

The Neurologist in your pocket

Shedding more light on multiple sclerosis through your smartphone.

From microscopes to digital diagnostics

Transforming patient care through innovative digital pathology solutions.

Shining a light into the dark

New insights for cancer of unknown primary origin and dementia.

Empowering patients through digitalisation

Controlling diabetes by using modern technologies instead of being controlled.

Our people

Making a meaningful difference for patients each day.

Pharmaceuticals

We focus on finding new medicines that help patients live longer, better lives and evolve the practice of medicine.

Roche Diagnostics

At Roche Diagnostics, we’re giving you the answers today for a healthier tomorrow. We give you the power of knowing.

Disease areas

Our focus is to benefit patients in need. Learn what disease areas we concentrate on.

Products

We focus on unmet needs and develop new and improved drugs, diagnostic tests and services that offer significant benefits over existing options.

https://www.roche.com/products.htm

Sustainability

Roche has a tradition of commitment. Sustainability is an integral part of the way we do business, now and in the future.

Research and Development

Scientific breakthroughs are most likely to occur when scientists are free to tackle problems from different angles and in different ways, our scientists have this freedom.

Partnering

We are passionate about advancing science no matter where it comes from.

Investors

Why did Roche Diagnostics choose Ocean Protocol ?

Ocean Protocol allows patient data to be shared in a secure manner and relay the relevant medical records to the right healthcare professionals.

Doing the above will allow healthcare professionals to monitor the effectiveness of patient treatments and prevent side effects through this patient management.

Roche Diagnostics strive to be at the forefront of technology bringing innovation to patient care, they understand that data has tremendous value in transforming healthcare but at the same time need to take great care of how the data is shared.

Roche Diagnostics are glad to be partnering with Ocean Protocol as this solution is scalable and producible in other clinical settings.

Ocean Protocols security and seemingless technology provide Roche Diagnostics with the support they need so that they can focus on delivering value and better outcomes for their patients.

Conclusion

Personally having a Medical/Science background I can appreciate what Roche Diagnostics are doing. Having been employed in a major Hospital Pathology Laboratory within Biochemistry and Haematology there is still much work to be done to shorten the diagnostic times to provide better patient care and ultimately save lives.

I can also see the work Roche Diagnostics are doing providing a huge benefit in the field of Forensic Science, another area I was employed in for approximately 10 years, e.g. having more data available on DNA databases could shorten the time an alleged offender provides a match on this database leading to an arrest/prosecution in a much shorter time which obviously leads to protecting the overall community.

There is much more information I could have included in this article as Roche Diagnostics are doing so much in the various fields of healthcare and diagnostic testing.

Can you imagine Ocean Protocol being a partner with a company that finds a cure for say Multiple Sclerosis, Diabetes, Cancer, Dementia or Motor Neuron Disease etc, it is very possible in the not to distant future, we can certainly see how much the role of Ocean Protocol would play in this amazing medical breakthrough through their Data sharing and AI technology.

I look forward to the future on where this partnership ends up and what the collaboration of both companies can achieve for the better of the human race.