Healthcare
AcelleRX Therapeutics
AcelleRX Therapeutics is a Cleveland Clinic spin-off company developing novel regenerative therapies for cardiovascular disease. Several studies have demonstrated that the company’s lead product, Stromal Derived Factor-1 (SDF-1) significantly increases cardiac function through promoting cell survival and revascularization after a heart attack. AcelleRX’s first generation SDF-1 platform is based on engineering cellular therapies currently in clinical trials to deliver SDF-1 to damaged heart tissue. Through a strategic partnership, AcelleRX anticipates advancing this platform to a Phase 1 Clinical Trial in 2008. Recent data also suggests that SDF-1 can also be delivered through non-cell based delivery methods providing a cheaper, logistically more manageable second-generation alternative to current cell therapy initiatives.
AnalizaDx, LLC is a Cleveland-based cancer diagnostics company that has developed and is presently commercializing a proprietary platform technology to improve cancer detection, diagnosis, progression, and prognosis. A newly formed spin-off company from Analiza, Inc., AnalizaDx’s cancer detection technology differs from conventional biomarker technologies that measure the amount of a disease-related protein, as it identifies biomarkers based on changes in their structure. Significant advantages of this type of detection include the use of readily available biological fluids, insensitivity to the significant variations in the absolute amount of biomarkers that naturally occur from patient to patient, and the ability to make screening and diagnosis affordable by utilizing existing, standard lab equipment. The company has already successfully completed clinical studies for prostate, breast and ovarian cancers, is presently performing advanced multi-site clinical studies, and is putting together collaborations for early commercialization of its first test to market.
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the US. CardioInsight Technologies is commercializing a breakthrough technology that will significantly improve the diagnosis and treatment of a number of critical heart conditions. For example, this new patient information will help in diagnosing and treating electrical abnormalities of the heart like arrhythmias and improve the delivery of electrically based cardiac therapies like cardiac resynchronization therapy. The Company’s patented technology combines body surface electrical data with detailed anatomical data from chest CT scans to non-invasively map electrical activity for the entire heart, beat by beat. CardioInsight’s non-invasive electrocardiographic imaging technology provides significantly more information than body surface electrocardiograms. Today, this data can only be provided by invasive catheter-based electrophysiology mapping. A prototype has been developed and proof of concept has been demonstrated in animal studies and 30 human subjects. CardioInsight is currently pursuing additional clinical studies with a more advanced prototype.
CerviLenz™, Inc.
Cervilenz™, Inc., headquartered near Cleveland, Ohio, is a manufacturer and marketer of a patented, FDA cleared device to predict preterm birth risk in pregnant women by accurately measuring cervical length. Preterm birth (delivery prior to 37 completed weeks of gestation) affects almost 13 percent of pregnancies annually in the United States, representing over 500,000 babies. It is a serious health problem, with increased risk for a variety of newborn complications and lifelong disabilities. Preterm birth is also the leading cause of infant death. Cervical length was established by the National Institutes of Health as a powerful predictor of preterm birth risk in a study utilizing a specialized ultrasound probe and technique. The Cervilenz device is a simple, low cost alternative that can be used by a healthcare professional to identify women who may benefit from progesterone therapy or further consultation by a specialist.
Great Lakes Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a clinical stage company focused on developing and commercializing products that prevent infections associated with indwelling catheters. Their first product, B-Lock™, is an anti-coagulant catheter lock solution that works against the bacterial and fungal microorganisms known to form biofilm structures in catheters. Biofilm related infections are the 8th leading cause of death in the U.S. Headquartered in Concord, OH with offices in San Diego, CA, Great Lakes Pharmaceuticals assembled team of experienced and distinguished scientists, clinicians and managers to assure development leading to commercialization of innovative, effective treatment of microbial infections in clinical and in outpatient settings.
Synapse Biomedical, a northeast Ohio based medical device company focused on the development and commercialization of minimally invasive neurostimulation technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of neurodegenerative impairments. Compared to traditional surgeries and devices, the company’s minimally invasive surgical interventions and respiratory assist procedures reduce risks to both patients and surgeons and are performed at substantially lower cost.
The U.S. market for medical imaging exceeds 400 million procedures per year and is growing at six percent annually. Because of this growth, many medical imaging providers cannot attract enough radiologists nor can they afford to hire subspecialty radiologists for the wide variety of imaging procedures they need to conduct. Telerad Express solves these problems by providing remote daytime and nighttime radiology interpretations, performed within rapid turnaround times, by highly specialized radiologists. Through proprietary processes and customized technology, Telerad Express provides a “virtual” business model that allows its qualified team of certified radiologists to serve imaging centers, small hospitals, and medical practices nationwide. Telerad Express' management team has extensive expertise in deploying medical technology nationwide and in growing large-scale service businesses.
Tursiop Technologies, LLC
Tursiop Technologies is developing revolutionary MRI coil devices utilizing proprietary nanotechnology, which will produce higher image quality and faster scan times resulting in a significant boost of the functional capabilities of any installed MRI system. Tursiop-generated imaging enhancements will apply across the entire range of MRI system field strengths, from low-field to high-field systems. Increased diagnostic competency will lead to improved patient outcomes and open the doors to new therapeutic opportunities within the areas of interventional, intra-operative and functional MRI and molecular imaging.