Project summary
The device guides breast cancer patients to perform breath holds so that their heart moves further away from the radiation beam.
What is the issue?
Respiratory Innovations has developed a device which utilises biofeedback to inform patients how to adjust their breathing. This biofeedback facilitates stable and regular motion of a patient’s anatomy and treatment area. This increases the accuracy of medical imaging and cancer radiation treatment and also empowers patients to play an active role in improving their own treatment simply by breathing. This device will minimise radiation damage to the hearts of breast cancer patients leading to better post-cancer treatment outcomes.
What does the technology aim to do?
Respiratory Innovations’ flagship product: Breathe Well, guides breast cancer patients to perform breath holds so that their heart moves further away from the radiation beam, minimising cardiac complications that otherwise arise when radiation damages the heart. The design of the Breathe Well medical device has been informed by extensive customer engagement through 165 customer interviews representing over 60% of the Australian market.
Respiratory Innovations was recently awarded the NSW Industry Collaborative Solutions grant, fostering partnerships with NSW radiotherapy centres to be the first users of the Breathe Well device. Founder Sean Pollock recently moved from academia into a full time role with the company having completed his PhD in medicine at the University of Sydney, researching the Breathe Well technology. The Breathe Well device is protected by a granted patent, and two provisional patents have also been filed. Breathe Well is also a registered trademark. Respiratory Innovations has an executed IP licensing agreement with the University of Sydney.
The Respiratory Innovations team has taken Breathe Well through the Genesis and Incubate startup accelerator programs at the University of Sydney. Founders Paul Keall and Sean Pollock are 2014 and 2015 graduates of the Medical Device Commercialisation Training Program, respectively.
The immediate future of Respiratory Innovations is the Australian market launch of the Breathe Well product with radiotherapy centres and team expansion. NSW will be the launching pad to then scale across Australia and internationally.
Company contact
Sean Pollock, Chief Operating Officer
seanpollock@breathewell.com
www.breathewell.com
+61 404 759 239