Our History.

As with the majority of medical device breakthroughs, ours started on the basis of a research and development project. In 2012, Professor Jeff Hughes, within the school of pharmacy at Curtin University in Western Australia, had realised the limitations of the existing paper-based pain assessment tools used within aged care. Jeff started a research project with his colleague Dr. Kreshnik Hoti and PhD student Mustafa Atee to find a better solution to a growing problem.  The research company ePAT Pty Ltd was formed within Curtin University and Jeff was the initial CEO.

By 2015 the prototype ePAT (electronic pain assessment tool) had been developed and by 2016 the initial clinical trials had been completed within Residential Aged Care to validate the clinical utility.

In October 2016 this promising technology led to the Company being taken out of Curtin University and listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX). Philip Daffas joined as CEO and MD of ePAT Technologies Ltd and has led the Company since, including and during the transition to PainChek Ltd. Jeff Hughes became the company’s Chief Scientific Officer and a board of directors was appointed comprising of relevant skill sets to build the business.

Key achievements since include:

  • Android and IOS versions of the App completed in June 2017
  • CE Mark and TGA regulatory clearance received in July 2017.
  • Initial product launch at the National Alzheimer’s Conference in Melbourne in October 2017, targeted to dementia care and aged care specialists.
  • 1st license agreement with Barossa Village Aged Care Home in October 2016
  • Dementia Support Australia license agreement in November 2016
  • PainChek® Trademark registration was secured in Australia and international markets including the UK and USA.
  • Exclusive, perpetual global license to access the nViso Artificial Intelligence for pain assessment was finalised in July 2017
  • In 2017 the Company name was changed to PainChek® to more accurately communicate the brand’s function and so that it is easily understandable.

In June 2018, Dr. Jennifer Abbey joined the PainChek® Ltd clinical advisory board. Dr. Abbey is the developer and innovator behind the Abbey Pain Scale (APS) which has been the standard pain assessment tool used for people who cannot verbalise in Australia and overseas since 2004.

In June 2019 the Australian Federal Government awarded PainChek® Ltd with a $5M grant to extend the use of PainChek® to the 100,000 residents living with dementia

In 2019 PainChek® UK was established and new license agreements were achieved overseas in New Zealand, Singapore and UK.

PainChek® technology patents are now granted in US, Australia, Japan and China.

Growth over the past two years has been dramatic. As of September 2020, more than 62,000 aged care beds were under annual licenses agreements and more than 180,000 pain assessments had been completed worldwide and growing. With a healthy penetration of the aged care market, PainChek® is now extending into the growing Home Care market and expand more broadly overseas.