Nordic Life Science 1
BUSINESS LIGHTHOUSE LIFE SCIENCE / COPENHAGEN LIF
E SCIENCE ADVERTORIAL Sara Leander-Pehrson, CEO, HekaVR , and Louise Birkedal Glenthøj, Head of Research, Virtu Research Group Seven out of ten Schizophrenia patients experienced less discomfort, and in some cases, the voices that patients heard in their heads disappeared after a series of HekaVR’s VR treatments. of whom have not responded to conventional treatment. The company’s software supports avatar therapy in virtual reality (VR) and was assessed in clinical trials from 2020 to 2024 together with Virtu Research Group, a research unit at Gentofte Hospital in Denmark. Patients develop an animated figure based on how they perceive the voice in their head. A therapist becomes the avatar’s voice, and the patient confronts it in a controlled environment in VR. Through a dialogue with the avatar, the patient can dispute the perceived criticism and start to free themselves from the torment. The test results were not just encouraging, but astounding. Seven out of ten patients experienced less discomfort, and in some cases, the voices that patients heard in their heads disappeared after a series of VR treatments. Out of 140 patients in the trial, 11 no longer hear any voices. “We have evidence that the treatment method creates value, and now we need to bring it to life,” says Louise Birkedal Glenthøj, Head of Research at Virtu Research Group. A gamer-changer My Magic is another company that has successfully collaborated to create the treatment My Magic Tummy, an online course designed to help children aged six to 12 with recurring stomach aches. The treatment is for functional stomach pain, which is when an individual experiences frequent abdominal pain, but no direct cause has been identified. Children can experience such severe pain that they are often absent from school and can’t play with other children. The course was developed by doctor and clinical hypnotherapist, Anna Knakkergaard, in conjunction with families and other professionals. During the course, children and their families engage in a series of six weekly online modules (each between 45 and 75 minutes long). These include animated educational videos and assignments completed by the child and parents together. The themes of the modules include school/leisure, sleep, and self-esteem. Between the modules, the child listens to different hypnotherapy audio files at least five times a week. Not only do children benefit from the lessons, but they also gain strength from knowing other children struggle with the same pain. My Magic Tummy has been a gamechanger for many families. Three out of four children reported feeling better or much better and 65% of parents reported that their children’s symptoms improved. Lighthouse Life Science is now supporting further development of the treatment to include teenagers from 13 to 17 years of age. A global life science powerhouse These collaborative initiatives represent the enormous potential for the Lighthouse Life Science to improve lives and solidify Denmark’s reputation as a global life science powerhouse as well as facilitate the development of new products. From 2021 to 2023 the Lighthouse Life Science was led by Novo Nordisk and 44 projects developed solutions for healthy weight for citizens, patients, and employees throughout Denmark. A quarter of the projects are already on their way to market, and 79% of the companies deem that the public/private collaboration has had a major impact on their development and growth. For more info on Copenhagens’s life science scene: • Business Lighthouse Life Science: erhvervsfyrtårnlifescience.dk • Copenhagen Life Science: copenhagenlifescience.com