International Life Sciences Awards 2021

6 GHP / International Life Sciences Awards 2021 , Women’s health is an often-overlooked part of the medical industry. For the team at LiGalli BV, their individual and specific needs form the heart of what they have to offer the industry; a smart drug delivery and diagnostics device specifically for women. We take a closer look at this incredible firm in the light of their second success in GHP’s International Life Sciences Awards 2021 to see how they have been able to achieve such a remarkable degree of success. Best Women’s Health MedTech Company 2021 Based in the Netherlands, the team at LiGalli has made it their mission to revolutionize the world of women’s healthcare. For too long, they have seen the quality of life of women diminished by a lack of focus on the challenges that affect them on a day-to-day basis. Through the use of intelligent drug delivery and diagnostics, the team has made an impressive impact on the MedTech community, and it certainly doesn’t look like it will be stopping any time soon. The world of life science is one of the fastest moving in the world, and as such it can be easy for certain sectors to become neglected as companies chase the next big thing. LiGalli has jumped into a big gap in the market, empowering women to manage their own health through the use of a non-invasive intravaginal technology. The social and economic trends of the 21st Century have provided an invaluable voice for many to speak up for themselves, women included. In the world of healthcare and drugs research, however, there is still much work to be done before true equality between men and women is reached. Jun21738 The need for a less male-centric approach to healthcare is clear to those who look at the research. Millions of women experience side effects and problems with current treatments and are in fact 50-75% more likely to have an adverse reaction to drugs when compared to men. With a lack of innovation in the field generally, LiGalli offers a clear way forward for those who want to ensure that the latest medical practices can be used and embraced by all. LiGalli has focused on the creation of a new and exciting MedTech project since it has opened its doors, developing a unique platform in the field of smart and digital drug therapies. The product - a second- generation vaginal ring called the MedRing – and accompanying platform has the potential to transform the way in which women are treated, monitored and diagnosed by medical professionals. This incredible new development includes micro-electronics that can steer the delivery of drugs, in small doses, both at pre-programmed (and complex) times and/or on demand, when necessary. The MedRing can also transform the body’s biosignals into digital information through the inclusion of miniature biosensors. Such data can be collected and sent to a smartphone even when the MedRing is situated inside the vagina. A woman can adjust, control and monitor her own treatment through the mobile application. The device has been patented, with its first patents granted in Europe, US and China. The benefits of this technology are enormous. Patients are empowered to manage their own health, while medical professionals are able to get quick data which allows them to personalize therapies to the individual patient. The integrated temperature sensor can track patient and therapy compliance, which is valuable for the treating medical professional. The data generated with the mobile app also has additional value for all stakeholders, including Pharma, MedTech, governmental institutes and scientific research. To ensure that women want to use this device, it has been carefully developed to be both easily self-insertable and removable. Women feel comfortable wearing the MedRing in all kinds of circumstances, and it gives them more confidence as they go about their daily lives. Drug delivery has never been more discrete, safe and reliable. The MedRing platform holds the potential to be used in a variety of different areas, and it’s first application is to treat an overactive bladder through the vaginal delivery of oxybutynin. LiGalli has been further exploring the inclusion of numerous other drug compounds that benefit from vaginal absorption. The team also investigates methods of including sensors, such as tumor-markers, glucose and pressure monitoring. Unlike other makers of vaginal rings, LiGalli is not targeting contraceptives, instead seeing the product as the gateway to understanding and diagnosing other (chronic) conditions that affect women such as menopause, diabetes and gynecologic indications. Compared to other drug delivery methods, vaginal delivery of drugs has the benefit to bypass the gastrointestinal tract and avoid the ‘First-Pass’ effect in the liver. This effect is responsible for higher liver exposure, lower bioavailability of the drug, more side effects and lower efficacy. In the vagina, there is a rapid drug uptake thanks to the dynamic blood flow that transmits the drugs directly to local organs,