Emunamedica was attracted to the technology for both for its non-invasive nature -- and more importantly its unique ability to address the large and growing opportunity for providing fast and accurate wound healing diagnostics, according to CEO David Kolb. Emunamedica expects to launch its initial product commercially in the United States by the first half of 2012 bringing wound diagnostics to clinicians and the estimated 6 million-plus patients in the US that suffer from lower extremity ulcers.

"Our goal is to provide wound care diagnostic support for clinicians, to generate better outcomes for patients, in a cost-effective manner for insurance companies and Medicare. There is a plethora of wound therapies available driving spending into the billions per year, and yet there are very few diagnostics to support clinicians in their decision making and to provide justification for payers," Kolb says.

"The Wound NIR Monitor is a product of a team effort at Drexel University based on several years of improvements and innovation of fNIR technology combined with deep understanding of the wound healing process," says Papazoglou. "I am really excited that the technology attracted such a great partner as Emunamedica, and I look forward to its routine use in the clinic. Our team is grateful for the support provided throughout the development of this technology by the PA Tobacco Funds Program, Drexel's Coulter Program and the QED Program at the Science Center, all of which enabled us to progress from a concept to clinical data."

"The development of the wound NIR monitor is a result of years of team work between the Drexel University College of Medicine's Department of Surgery and the Drexel University School of Biomedical Engineering," says Weingarten. "This unique collaboration between Drexel's College of Medicine and the School of Biomedical Engineering has resulted in a number of translational research initiatives."

SOURCE Emunamedica LLC