Hanger Ventures, affiliated with Hanger Corporation, has made a notable and strategic investment in an emerging Canadian technology company, Bionic Power, whose innovation is a remarkable sensor and motor based, lower extremity bracing system for patients with significant ambulation issues—spina bifida, cerebral palsy patients, for example.
Hanger Invests in Sensor and Moter Based Bracing System
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Secondary#bionicpower#cerebralpalsy#musculardystrophy#spinabfida
While the initial market is in pediatrics, eventually, this technology would be applicable to a very broad range of patients in all age ranges.
According to Hanger Venture’s President and Hanger, Inc. Chief Clinical Officer James Campbell, Ph.D. “We are thrilled to make our inaugural investment in Bionic Power.” It is also Hanger Venture’s first investment overall.
Dr. Campbell continued, “We look forward to contributing clinical research, along with technical and commercial expertise, to bring innovative solutions to the market that have the potential to meet an unmet clinical need and improve the quality of life for individuals with mobility challenges.”
Bionic Power is a privately held company. Its flagship product, Agilik™, is a smart orthosis. The mobility aid moves with the wearer. According to the company, Agilik™ provides “dynamic knee assistance and resistance when needed during a patient’s gait.”
The device can help patients with a range of conditions including cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and muscular dystrophy. With its assistance, according to Bionic Power, patients are able to “stand more upright, walk more easily, gain muscle strength, walk longer, and boost independence.”
Bionic Power Chief Executive Officer Gualtiero Guadagni, Ph.D. said, of the funding, “When we learned about the creation of Hanger Ventures, we felt the opportunity was a great match for Bionic Power’s needs, and the subsequent discussions confirmed our initial impression.”
Dr. Guadagni continued, “Hanger Ventures is offering far more than capital, and we are eager to leverage their support to expand our business and have a greater impact on those who can benefit from our life-changing products.”
For more information about Agilik™ and Bionic Power: https://bionic-power.com/
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This is a fascinating development. In my practice we've seen similar outcomes with the revised protocol. The key differentiator seems to be patient selection criteria. Has anyone else noticed the correlation with BMI thresholds?
Great point. I'd push back slightly on the conclusion, the sample size in the cited study is too small to draw population-level inferences. That said, the directional signal is compelling and worth a larger RCT.
We implemented a similar approach last year. Early results are promising but we're still gathering 12-month follow-up data. Happy to share our protocol if anyone is interested.
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