Funds will support pivotal clinical study in U.S. and Europe
GRENOBLE, France & MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota (November 13, 2023) – UroMems, a global company developing innovative, mechatronics technology to treat stress urinary incontinence (SUI), is delighted to announce it will receive a financial award from the European Innovation Council Accelerator program. The funding will go toward pivotal SUI trials for the UroActive™ System treating women and men in the U.S. and Europe.
UroActive is the first smart active implant that treats SUI, powered by a MyoElectroMechanical System (MEMS). This innovative system is placed around the urethral duct and is automatically controlled based on the patient’s activity, without the need for manual adjustments, intending to provide patients with ease of use and a better quality of life than current options. UroMems recently successfully completed the first-ever implant of the UroActive system in a female patient, a milestone indicating a new era for millions of women suffering from SUI. UroMems also received the Safer Technologies Program (STeP) designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for UroActive.
“We are thrilled to receive this award and grateful to the EIC for validating our high potential for improving the lives of millions of women and men,” said Hamid Lamraoui, UroMems chief executive officer and co-founder. “It’s a welcome recognition of our innovation and the dedicated team advancing SUI therapy for the betterment of our community.”
UroMems is one of only 47 companies to have won in the latest competitive round, out of almost 650 full proposals.
The EIC Accelerator program is part of the European Innovation Council (EIC) project, which is an element of the European Union's €95 billion Horizon Europe framework program for research and innovation. The EIC Accelerator provides support to leading SMEs with very high potential to help them develop and bring to market innovative products that can stimulate economic growth.
UroMems aims to restore the quality of life, dignity and self-esteem of millions of people worldwide suffering from poorly treated chronic conditions by first revolutionizing the treatment of SUI with smart active implants, using the latest technological advances in embedded systems and micro-technologies.
About UroActive:
UroActive is an active implantable electronic artificial urinary sphincter that is being developed to compensate for sphincter insufficiency in patients, both men and women, with SUI. It is based on a unique bionic platform using embedded smart, digital and robotic systems which, based on data collected from a patient, create a treatment algorithm that is specific for each patient's needs. The UroMems technology platform is protected by more than 100 patents and is designed to overcome the limitations of current solutions by optimizing safety and performance, patient experience and surgeon convenience. STeP participation does not imply product authorization. UroActive has not received marketing authorization from the FDA and is not available for sale in the United States or in the EU.
About UroMems:
Founded in 2011 by Professor Pierre Mozer, Hamid Lamraoui and Stéphane Lavallée, UroMems aims to restore the quality of life, dignity and self-esteem of millions of men and women worldwide suffering from untreated chronic conditions by the commitment to change the perception that these disorders are inevitable as one grows older and is simply something to endure with no real solution. The first challenge for the company will be applying embedded mechatronics methods and smart systems for treating urinary incontinence. Designed by urologists and collaborating scientists and engineers, UroActive intends to provide a new standard of care combining safety, efficacy, durability and ergonomics fitting any individual’s lifestyle and anatomy.
Since the inception of the company, significant investments have been made for the development of UroMems’ first product. This includes two financing rounds totaling 46 million euros, led by Wellington Partners, Bpifrance, Supernova Invest, b-to-v Partners AG, Cita Investissement, Hil-Invent, Financière Arbevel and the founders. The company has received several awards for innovation, including the Prix Galien Award Medstart’up and the Worldwide Innovation Challenge initiated by the French government. For more information, please visit www.uromems.com.
Media Contact:
Shelli Lissick
shelli@bellmontpartners.com
651-276-6922