WeHealth by Servier, the e-health department of Servier Group, has signed a partnership agreement with clinical-stage bioelectronic medicine firm PathMaker Neurosystems to develop non-invasive neuromodulation device to treat spasticity.
Image: Spasticity is a chronic condition indicated by painful muscle contractions. Photo: courtesy of yodiyim / FreeDigitalPhotos.net.
Spasticity is a chronic condition indicated by painful muscle contractions and is observed in patients following stroke, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders.
WeHealth by Servier general director Dr David Guez said: “Our partnership with PathMaker represents an opportunity for WeHealth to contribute to the advancement of a truly novel technology that is moving the field of bioelectronic medicine forward.”
Under the deal, the companies will develop and commercialize the first neuromodulation technology for non-invasive treatment of spasticity.
The deal includes an exclusive world-wide distribution arrangement, excluding the US and Japan, for PathMaker’s MyoRegulator device.
As per terms of the agreement, WeHealth will provide funding to the recently started European clinical study designed to assess MyoRegulator for non-invasive treatment of spasticity secondary to stroke.
At present, the trial is currently being carried out by France’s Brain and Spine Institute (Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Epinière – ICM) at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris.
WeHealth will also provide funding for European clinical trial, which is planned to support reimbursement coverage.
PathMaker will secure an upfront payment, clinical/regulatory milestones and commercial royalties from future sales of the device and disposables in the Servier territories.
MyoRegulator system is a microprocessor-controlled device, which uses PathMaker’s patent-protected DoubleStim technology to provide synchronized stimulation at two sites along the neural axis through two pairs of disposable skin-surface electrodes.
The approach enables to modulate neural activity to inhibit hyperexcitable spinal neurons involved in spasticity, through accurately sequencing and targeting multi-site stimulation directed at the spinal outflow and peripheral nerve.
PathMaker president and CEO Dr Nader Yaghoubi said: “This significant partnership will provide a large number of patients with access to this breakthrough non-invasive treatment through WeHealth’s international presence in more than 100 countries worldwide.”
WeHealth by Servier was established in November 2016 for the development of advanced digital and connected solutions and services.