HKSTP Partner Company HVB: Frontier to Develop Retinal Image Analysis for Health Risk Assessment in Companion Animals

(Hong Kong, 25 August 2023) – Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) partner company Health View Bioanalytic Limited (HVB), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Hong Kong Institute of Animal Assisted Intervention (HKIAAI) and Your Wellness Partner (YWP) to launch collaborative research of the frontier application of retinal image analysis to assist animal caretakers in assessing health risks in companion animals using their retinal images. This innovation, based on HVB’s patented “Automatic Retinal Image Analysis (ARIA)” technology, will provide a non-invasive rapid pre-screening solution for health assessment and detecting underlying risks in companion animals. 

Dr Grace Lau, Head of Institute for Translational Research, HKSTP said, “HKTSP is committed to accelerating the innovation journey by creating a complete support system for translational research, product development through to commercialisation, cementing Hong Kong's position as Asia's leader in biomedical technology. We are excited that HVB is going to extend the application of the ground-breaking ARIA technology from humans to animal levels, expediting global companion animal healthcare market development with technological innovations.”

According to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), “companion animals” are defined as “domesticated or domestic-bred animals whose physical, emotional, behavioural and social needs can be readily met as companions in the home, or in close daily relationship with humans”. Keeping companion animals has become an increasingly popular lifestyle trend in recent years, and the most common ones are cats and dogs. Many studies have found that animal companion ownership is associated with greater cognitive health and a reduction in emotional stress. Some studies have also shown that stress levels are synchronised in dogs and their owners.

In Hong Kong, according to the Census and Statistics Department’s survey report 2019, over 240,000 households kept an estimated of over 400,000 cats and dogs. According to statistics from Bloomberg Intelligence, the pet industry is expected to swell from US$320 billion this year to almost US$500 billion by 2030. As the number of pets and companion animals increases, the market's derivative demands for various veterinary services, healthcare products, vaccines and medicines are escalating. In view of this, HVB joined hands with HKIAAI and YWP to launch collaborative research of a health assessment tool designed for companion animals, based on its patented ARIA technology. The tool will use companion animals’ retinal images to rapidly access their health condition and address underlying risks, thereby improving their quality of life and prolonging their lifespan. The research will target at identifying the risks of vascular and endocrine-related diseases in companion animals at the first stage. The pre-screening solution is expected to be launched onto the market by the end of 2024.

ARIA is a non-invasive and effective technology for assessing various health risks. At present, HVB has successfully used ARIA to assess the risks of stroke, white matter disease and diabetes in humans, with an accuracy rate of over 90%. ARIA employs artificial intelligence (AI) and machine-learning methods to accurately reveal a variety of underlying health conditions without the need for a blood test, creating a more rapid and accessible means for early diabetes diagnosis.

Photo 1: Health View Bioanalytic Limited signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Hong Kong Institute of Animal Assisted Intervention and Your Wellness Partner to launch collaborative research of the frontier application of retinal image analysis to assist animal caretakers in assessing health risks in companion animals using their retinal images.