Government of India advances indigenous digital health innovation: TDB-DST supports development of next-generation continuous health monitoring technology under Indo-Canada Collaborative R&D Programme

In furtherance of the Government of India’s commitment to strengthening preventive healthcare, promoting indigenously developed medical technologies, and translating research into deployable health solutions, the Technology Development Board (TDB), Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, has entered into an agreement with M/s Drstore Healthcare Service India Pvt. Ltd., Maharashtra for a collaborative R&D project in the digital health domain.

Under this initiative, TDB has sanctioned grant assistance for the project titled “Multivital Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Device with Cardiovascular Biomarkers for Early Detection of Heart Conditions alongside Diabetes Monitoring.” The project is supported under the Indo-Canada Collaborative Industrial Research & Development Programme.

The Indo-Canada Collaborative Industrial R&D Programme is a bilateral framework between the Department of Science & Technology, Government of India, and the National Research Council Canada (NRC) and Global Affairs Canada, aimed at supporting industry-driven, market-oriented R&D projects that lead to commercializable technologies with societal relevance. The Indian project is being undertaken in collaboration with the Canadian project lead, M/s Nanospeed Diagnostics Inc.

The supported project focuses on the integration of advanced cardio-metabolic biomarkers—including B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP), Troponin-I, and high-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP)—into continuous glucose monitoring systems. By leveraging the existing CGM mechanism of analysing interstitial fluid, the technology aims to enable simultaneous, continuous monitoring of glucose levels and early cardiovascular risk indicators, thereby addressing critical co-morbidities associated with diabetes.

This technology is expected to support early detection, remote monitoring, and preventive management of cardiovascular conditions, particularly among high-risk populations, while reducing dependency on episodic diagnostics and hospital-centric care. The project aligns with national priorities of affordable healthcare access, digital health adoption, and indigenous development of advanced medical devices.

M/s Drstore Healthcare Service India Pvt. Ltd., incorporated in 2015, is engaged in developing solutions for preventive and remote healthcare monitoring. With TDB support, the project aims to validate the technology feasibility and create a pathway for commercial deployment of an integrated, multi-vital health monitoring platform suitable for Indian healthcare needs.

Key anticipated outcomes of the project include:

· Real-time, remote monitoring of glucose and cardiovascular biomarkers for home-based and post-operative care.

· Early detection and preventive management of cardiac conditions in diabetic and high-risk patients.

· Development of an integrated ecosystem of smart health devices for managing co-morbidities such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and respiratory conditions.

Speaking on the occasion, Sh. Rajesh Kumar Pathak, Secretary, TDB, stated that “technology-led preventive healthcare solutions are critical to reducing long-term disease burden. Projects supported under international collaborative frameworks such as the Indo-Canada Programme enable Indian industry to access global knowledge while building indigenous, scalable solutions for national health priorities.”

This initiative reflects TDB’s mandate to promote industry-driven innovation, international technology collaboration, and commercialization of indigenous healthcare technologies, contributing to improved health outcomes and strengthening India’s medical technology ecosystem.