COVID-19 represents unchartered territory for everyone. Governments and various organisations across the globe have struggled to develop systems, policies and coordinate programs whilst researchers have scrambled to pull together clinically valid trials to deepen our understanding of our latest threat.

ResApp (ASX: RAP) is a digital health company developing smartphone apps for both the diagnosis and management of respiratory disease.

In an effort to broaden the scope of data available and adapt their platform to the disease at the forefront of everyone’s mind, the Company has been seeking non-dilutive funding to put towards research.

The Company today announced the receipt of approval from AusIndustry for its application for an Advances and Overseas Finding. The approval brings with it funding for the next three years as well as a 43.5% cash rebate under the Australian Federal Government’s R&D tax Incentive Program meaning that the Company will receive an estimated $820,000 cash rebate for the financial year.

ResApp has set about organising their clinical studies. In the US, ResApp is currently recruiting patients with the aim of training an algorithm to identify COVID-19 through cough sounds. Those who participate in the first study will move onto a second study to collect additional cough sounds and data to examine the disease progression.

Clinical trial company Triomics in India will recruit patients there for the same study.

A multinational trial will provide strong clinical validation for ResApp’s algorithms.

CEO and Managing Director, Dr. Tony Keating said: “Our COVID-19 research program is looking at developing algorithms for screening for COVID-19 as well as helping healthcare systems better manage patients with COVID-19, including those with long COVID. This finding, recognising the need to collect COVID-19 couch samples internationally, provides us with a high degree of certainty in planning our programs. We are very grateful to the Federal Government for their commitment to supporting research and development.”

The addition of a COVID based function would remove many of the existing barriers to testing. The research on cough sounds could prove instrumental in everyday medicine where doctors assess an increasing number of respiratory infections.

For the Year ended 30 June 2021, ResApp Health reported $69k in revenue.