MyoKardia, a San Francisco biotech company currently in clinical trials on a HCM drug called Mavacamten, has come up with a way to spot HOCM simply by using a wristband fitness monitor. The wristband works through the use of optical biosensors which monitor arterial pulse waves.  

During MyoKardia’s trials, the bracelet biosensors were used on HOCM patients and non-affected controls.  The algorithm was able to distinguish HOCM patients from unaffected individuals more than 95% of the time, suggesting that a non-invasive way to screen for HOCM may not be too far in the future.

The linked article at Medgadget contains an interview with MyoKardia’s Dr. Robert McDowell, MyoKardia’s Chief Scientific Officer, and Dr. Eric Green, MyoKardia’s Senior Director of Translational Research with more on the happenings at MyoKardia.