Monday, September 16, 2019
Zelegent, Inc., the medical technology manufacturer of innovative tools for otolaryngologist sleep specialists, whose Elevo® Set is being sold to U.S. physicians, announced that it has acquired the rights to a new pre-clinical product line, intended for treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Zelegent’s existing product line, The Elevo Snoring Intervention Set, is used by physicians to treat primary snoring, defined as disruptive snoring in patients without OSA. The MISH technology product platform is intended to provide an alternative to existing technologies for treating OSA.
MISH is an acronym for Minimally Invasive Suspension of the Hyoid. Suspension of the hyoid bone is an existing procedure for the treatment of OSA that carries its own reimbursement code. Compared with existing hyoid suspension products, MISH is less invasive, as it involves no external neck incision; just a needle puncture site. Zelegent acquired exclusive worldwide rights to MISH from Valam Corporation. Specific terms of the transaction are not being disclosed, other than that the agreement includes both equity and a royalty.
“Unlike existing hyoid suspension devices, the MISH procedure does not involve a permanent implant,” said Alexander K. Arrow, MD, Chief Executive Officer of Zelegent, Inc. “The components to suspend the hyoid bone in the MISH procedure are completely resorbable after implantation, making the MISH procedure consistent with the theme of Zelegent’s first product line, the Elevo Set.”
The already-commercialized Elevo® Set and the early-stage development MISH platform are synergistic product lines for Zelegent for several reasons: (1) they are intended for the same physician call point (sleep disorder specialists), (2) each involve resorbable barbed implants deployed with a unique proprietary needle delivery tool, (3) they can be manufactured with virtually the same supply chain, reducing costs, and (4) the two systems are intended to provide physicians with a range of minimally-invasive options for patients that present with either primary snoring, or snoring with OSA.
“Permanent implants are never desirable, if they can be avoided,” said Ron Hadani, CEO of Valam Corporation, which invented and initiated development of the MISH procedure and implant delivery tool. “We are pleased that MISH will be developed and commercialized by Zelegent, given Zelegent’s recent success with the Elevo Set. As a new shareholders of Zelegent, Valam shall support Zelegent during development of the product line.”
Zelegent offers its current product, the Elevo Set, through an exclusive sales, marketing, and distribution partnership with Cook Medical. For information about training on Elevoplasty and ordering Elevo Sets, please refer to www.cookmedical.com/Elevo. The Elevo Set is on display this week in the exhibit hall of the American Association of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) annual meeting and trade show at the New Orleans Convention Center, Booth #1243 (www.entnet.org).
