Lucius Partners Portfolio Company AerWave Medical, Inc. Commences First-in-Human Trial of its Ultrasound Based Lung Denervation System for Treatment of COPD and Asthma
- AerWave has treated the first two patients in its First-in-Human trial in Georgia.
- Study to confirm the safety of the platform and to further confirm the shorter, less complex logistics of the Company's lung denervation procedures in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Asthma patients
NEW YORK, June 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Lucius Partners, LLC ("LP") today announced that its portfolio company, AerWave Medical, Inc., has treated its first two patients in its First-in-Human Trial (FIH). The trial's Primary Investigator is Univ. Prof. David Tchkonia, MD, PhD, Interventional Pulmonologist, Member of the European and World Associations for Bronchology and Interventional Pulmonology, Member of the Georgian Respiratory and Endoscopy Associations (GRA, GEA); the procedures are being conducted at Healthycor in Tbilisi, Georgia.
"The ease of use of AerWave's balloon-based ultrasound platform provides significant advantages over current treatment options for patients," stated Prof. Tchkonia. "The speed of our first procedures is unparalleled as no ancillary devices like marker catheters, esophageal balloons or fluoroscopic monitoring are required. Further, as the technology targets tissue in one energy application and is intentionally distanced from peri-esophageal nerves; we are optimistic that the approach could confer safety advantages."
The study is evaluating patients undergoing lung denervation utilizing AerWave's novel approach to treat Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). The study is expected to enroll five patients and will evaluate the safety and potential efficacy of lung denervation with the Company's innovative, time saving approach. The protocols are supported by extensive pre-clinical trials and data on both the safety and efficacy of dosimetry-based ultrasound denervation. The Company's technology holds promise for a shorter, more efficacious, and safer clinical lung denervation procedure.
"We believe that AerWave's approach, driven by a driven by an energy source with complete circumferential coverage, can lead to better efficacy for patients" said Reinhard Warnking, AerWave Medical's President and Chief Technology Officer." As our proprietary ultrasound denervation approach is designed to deliver energy to secondary bronchi, versus other treatments which focus on the main bronchi, AerWave's procedure is designed to avoid dangerous esophageal side effects – a major concern in the interventional pulmonary community ."
AerWave is leveraging the platform's design for efficacy, safety and speed advantages of delivering ultrasound energy to multiple additional pipeline opportunities, including lung tumor ablation (LTA) and lung volume reduction (LVR). Ultrasound as a potential treatment option for LTA has significant advantages over currently used radio frequency (RF), Microwave and Cryo approaches, due to the physics of ultrasound. Further, ultrasound-generated heat can be directed to reduce lung-lobe volume without removing tissue, or implanting any foreign material (valves, coils, etc.).
"We believe the FIH trial can drive significant value creation for the Company, as demonstration of the platform's safety and utility could ultimately expand the treatable patient populations in COPD and Asthma," said James Ahern, Managing Partner at Laidlaw & Company and Founding Partner of Lucius Partners. "Our team is thrilled to be working with Prof. Tchkonia and his team to further enhance our growing data sets that support the platform's unique capabilities."
About AerWave Medical, Inc.
AerWave Medical is dedicated to creating and advancing medical devices to address unmet medical needs in Pulmonary medicine and beyond, using proprietary ultrasound technology developed by our highly accomplished scientists. For more information, please visit AerWave Medical.
About Lucius Partners, LLC
Lucius Partners is a consultancy that provides a broad suite of services to help healthcare companies grow, achieve milestones, and generate value for their shareholders. Learn more about Lucius Partners here.
Contact
Patrick Gallagher
Managing Partner, Lucius partners, LLC
[email protected]
SOURCE Lucius Partners, LLC
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