39 GHP Healthcare & Pharma Awards 2022 Most of us will snore at some point in our lives, but for many, it’s a nightly occurrence. Snoring can interrupt our sleep, as well as that of our partner’s. And it can leave us feeling tired and groggy. London-based company, Signifier Medical Technologies (SMT) has created the first daytime therapy for tackling the root cause of snoring and sleep-disordered breathing – eXciteOSA®, a non-invasive treatment that physiologically retrains the airway against collapse. Traditional aids for snoring and sleep-disordered breathing have remained the same for decades and none of them get to the root of the problem. Most of them need to be worn during sleep, consign the user to lifelong use, and are often uncomfortable, such as nasal bands, oral appliances, and even surgical procedures. Signifier Medical Technologies aspires to revolutionise the sleep market, with its ground-breaking eXciteOSA® helping to solve conditions of snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), an area that has significant unmet medical need. OSA is a more serious sleep disorder that can be indicated by regular, loud snoring. This is when, due to the restriction of air through the mouth and nose, the sleeper may stop breathing for a few seconds. This can lead to them jolting awake. Having sleep disrupted in this way can have a major impact on an individual’s health and quality of life. 30 million adults aged 30-69 have OSA and they are often left undiagnosed. When left untreated, this condition can be associated with poor health, including high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, asthma, daytime tiredness, difficulties with memory and concentration, and more. SMT’s CEO, Professor Akhil Tripathi was deeply empathetic with many of his patients who were struggling with conventional treatment options for snoring and OSA. Thus, he and his multidisciplinary team set out to find a solution. After three years, eXciteOSA® was launched. The key to innovating this device was understanding that in order to reduce OSA and snoring, the tongue’s muscle function needs to be improved. Because when we sleep, our tongue and throat muscles relax, a state which causes the tongue to fall back in the mouth and results in partial obstruction of the airway. This causes vibration in the mouth and throat, creating a snoring sound. eXciteOSA® is a truly revolutionary way of treating OSA and focuses on treating the root cause. The world’s first daytime therapy for OSA and snoring, it is a device that strengthens weak tongue muscles and retrains the user’s airway against collapse. To do this, it sits in the mouth and uses safe electrical currents to stimulate and improve muscle function in the mouth and tongue. Its “light touch” design requires no fitting and the system includes digital connectivity between patient, bed partner, and provider, with accurate sleep tracking enabling the user to assess and adjust treatment as required. The device is portable, USB rechargeable, and uses a proprietary iOS/Android application to guide patients through therapy. In order for the therapy to be successful, it is important that the patient uses it regularly (20 minutes per day for six weeks, and a minimum of twice a week thereafter for maintenance), therefore SMT has designed its app with patient motivation in mind. As a result of the therapy, the patient’s tongue muscles are strengthened and no longer block the sleeper’s airway. The body can rest and recuperate normally, and the sleeper wakes up feeling bright, refreshed, and ready for the day ahead. Ultimately, SMT’s vision is to become a global leader in providing easy-to-use, accessible, clinically-proven, data-driven, and cloudbased solutions for diagnosing, treating, and managing sleepdisordered breathing. It is truly committed to revolutionising healthcare with creative approaches and not merely optimising existing approaches to their next evolution. The SMT team is committed to further improving the validity and efficiency of eXciteOSA®, so it therefore continues to invest in clinical trials. So far, the reported results are impressive. 82% of bed partners reported a reduction of their partner’s snoring, while 98% of patients found they were experiencing a reduction in snoring time, proving the device to be a resounding success. Now, 5,000 patients have started their eXciteOSA® journey, conveniently fitting therapy into their daily routine and being on their way to sleeping soundly all night long – entirely on their own. Thousands of patients have completed the first phase and are experiencing reductions in their OSA and snoring. Professor Tripathi says, “We want to say ‘thank you’ to all our prescribing physicians for trusting us to improve your patients’ health. The results your patients are achieving and the feedback they’re providing inspire us to reach even more people with our daytime therapy.” Company: Signifier Medical Technologies Website: www.signifiermedical.com Most Innovative Global Sleeping Disorders Medical Technology Company 2022 Jul22197
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