COLUMBUS, OH and MANHASSET, NY--(Marketwired - June 04, 2015) - In an effort to change the way bleeding has been treated in the operating room and on the battlefield for more than 150 years, Battelle, a leader in research and commercialization, announced today that it has partnered with The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, the research arm of The North Shore-LIJ Health System.
Together, the two organizations intend to create a "Neural Tourniquet," a technology that will help staunch blood loss through electronic nerve stimulation. The Neural Tourniquet has anticipated applications in planned surgeries, emergency medicine and on the battlefield, and is slated to enter the market in the next three to five years.
The Neural Tourniquet represents the latest advancement in bioelectronic medicine, a rapidly developing field that combines molecular medicine, bioengineering and neuroscience to discover and develop nerve-stimulating and sensing technologies to regulate biological processes. Studies conducted during the past decade by the Feinstein Institute demonstrate that a nerve stimulation device can significantly reduce bleeding. Electrical stimulation of neural pathways to the spleen, for as little as 60 seconds, prepares the body for clotting in the event of a wound. The primed coagulation system is able to clot 50 percent more rapidly and reduce the volume of blood loss by 50 percent.
Battelle's strategic partnership with the Feinstein Institute comes at a time of continuing growth in the $4.5 billion market for neurostimulation devices. This market is expected to grow to over $7.8 billion by 2018, according to MicroMarketMonitor, a market research firm.
"At Battelle, we have a long history of developing innovative technologies that help advance the state of modern healthcare and save lives," said Chad Bouton, Research Leader specializing in Neurotechnology at Battelle. "Our deep experience in neurotechnology development for brain and nerve applications, such as our NeuroLife™ neural bypass technology launched last year, is what brought us together with the team at the Feinstein. We look forward to building a partnership geared towards launching yet another innovative, life-saving technology."
The Neural Tourniquet may be applied in a range of possible scenarios including:
- Surgical teams may someday use the device to reduce blood loss in the operating room during the more than 50 million planned surgeries in the United States each year.
- First responders could apply the device to trauma victims at accident scenes to slow blood loss.
- Soldiers, prior to missions where they could experience trauma, could use a device to proactively curb blood loss in the event they are wounded.
"Our main goal at the Feinstein is to improve the health and well being of people through scientific discovery," said Christopher J. Czura, PhD, Vice President of Scientific Affairs at the Feinstein Institute and co-inventor of the Neural Tourniquet. "We know that blood loss is a tremendous problem in a range of settings, and when we saw that our discoveries could change that, we knew we needed a partner to help bring that discovery to market. Battelle's track record and approach make them a perfect partner."
The Neural Tourniquet is based on intellectual property developed over the course of 15 years by Kevin J. Tracey, MD, Dr. Czura, and Jared M. Huston, MD at the Feinstein Institute, with initial support provided by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Battelle will focus its efforts on developing a device based on the existing science.
About Battelle
Every day, the people of Battelle apply science and technology to solving what matters most. At major technology centers and national laboratories around the world, Battelle conducts research and development, designs and manufactures products, and delivers critical services for government and commercial customers. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio since its founding in 1929, Battelle serves the national security, health and life sciences, and energy and environmental industries. For more information, visit www.battelle.org.
About The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research
Headquartered in Manhasset, NY, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research is home to international scientific leaders in many areas including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, psychiatric disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, sepsis, human genetics, pulmonary hypertension, leukemia, neuroimmunology, medicinal chemistry, and bioelectronic medicine. The Feinstein Institute, part of the North Shore-LIJ Health System, ranks in the top 6th percentile of all National Institutes of Health grants awarded to research centers. For more information, visit FeinsteinInstitute.org.
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