Optasia Medical, based in Cheadle, has been awarded £217,621 by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) to develop technology that assists with the analysis of rheumatoid arthritis.

The grant will enable Optasia Medical to innovate software that will mechanise the analysis of rheumatoid arthritis x-rays, which are currently examined by eye.

It means health researchers would be able to measure the efficiency of drug therapies and possibly enhance their positive effects.

Mark Hughes, a spokesman for the NWDA, said: "The product currently being produced by Optasia has the potential to become a global advancement in terms of patient treatment."

Optasia Medical builds medical imaging-based computer assisted detection solutions for the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.

The company employs a dozen people and will take on an extra three researchers to work on the new project.