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NICE Scientific Advice has announced that Newcastle University is the first winner of the NICE AdviSeME Prize for its novel prognostic skin cancer test.

The test, called AMBLor, aims to improve the detection and prognosis of patients diagnosed with early stage melanoma.

The test will identify people who have the highest risk of their disease getting worse so that their condition can be monitored more closely. It should also provide these patients with earlier access to potentially life-saving treatments.

In addition to this people identified by the test as having a low risk of their disease getting worse could be discharged earlier, avoiding unnecessary appointments for them and saving the NHS money.

The NICE AdviSeME Prize was launched last year for small or medium-sized companies, charities and academic research groups who are developing healthcare products that have the potential to change patients’ lives and/or save the NHS money.

Leeza Osipenko, Head of NICE Scientific Advice, said: “Newcastle University will receive a free Light Scientific Advice Service from NICE, valued at £15,000. We will work with clinical and health economics experts to provide a comprehensive commentary on proposed evidence generation plans for AMBLor’s development and implementation to help demonstrate the value of this product to the NHS.”

Following the success of the first NICE AdviSeME Prize, NICE Scientific Advice will be running a one-day seminar for developers of diagnostics and medical devices on 18 May, 2018 at the NICE office in Manchester. General registration will open on the NICE Scientific Advice section of the NICE website in February.