A diarrhea treatment developed by Systems Scientist Ravi Starzl and his father has been selected as a leading innovation in Innovation Countdown 2030's Reimagining Global Health report.
A nutrition-based diarrhea treatment developed by Language Technologies Institute Systems Scientist Ravi Starzl and his father, Tim, has been selected as a leading innovation in the maternal, child and newborn healthcare category of Innovation Countdown 2030's (IC2030) Reimagining Global Health report. The initiative identifies and showcases lifesaving innovations with great promise to transform global health by 2030, and helps accelerate progress toward the new health targets proposed in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
IC2030's inaugural Reimagining Global Health report features 30 high-impact innovations to save lives and expert commentaries on the role innovation plays in driving health impact. One of those products is DiaResQ — the flagship product of PanTheryx, a U.S. medical nutrition company that Starzl co-founded in 2007. Formulated from bovine colostrum, egg solids, silicon dioxide and vanilla flavor, DiaResQ works with the body's natural defenses to combat occasional diarrhea and rapidly restore intestinal function by delivering micronutrients, macronutrients and immune factors. The Reimaging Global Health report noted that, when combined with oral rehydration efforts, DiaResQ could help improve the chance of recovery for children in developing nations who struggle with life-threatening diarrhea. The organization's report estimates DiaResQ could save roughly 251,000 lives between 2018 and 2030 — a three percent reduction in diarrhea-related deaths.
"I am delighted that DiaResQ has been recognized with this honor. This product represents an innovative approach to the complex and challenging problem of pediatric diarrhea, and I hope to see this type of approach yield important advances in other clinical domains," said Sartzl, who also co-directs CMU's master's program in biotechnology innovation and computation. "The chance to actually save lives with innovative thinking instills a 'whatever it takes' attitude to breaking down and solving hard problems. Taking an idea from conception to product to demonstration of effectiveness in the field has validated our approach. I am very excited about working on the next project with my father."
Learn more about the report on the IC2030 website.