Discover Medical Starts Second Clinical Trial With Smaller Size SomnuSeal Mask For Non-Compliant CPAP Patients

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011 at 8:31 PM

Discover Medical Devices that developed the SomnuSeal mask for OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) patients has started a second clinical trial in Israel with a smaller size SomnuSeal mask that will help non compliant CPAP patients.

There are 350 million obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients in the world that require CPAP (continuous positive air pressure) treatment.

Up until now approximately 20 million patients were diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and require continuous CPAP treatment. Only 7 million of them agree to receive the treatment and 13 million do not. Therefore every increase of 10% of compliance among non compliant patients may help an additional 1.3 million diagnosed patients. (Studies by John Hopkins demonstrate that 46% of untreated obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patients die younger and therefore it is very important to find solutions that will help those patients receive treatment!).

In the first clinical trial with the larger size SomnuSeal, the results demonstrated that the SomnuSeal mask successfully addresses part of the obstructive sleep apnea (OSA ) CPAP non compliance problem. (The non compliance problem in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a significant obstacle to a successful treatment as more than 50% of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) diagnosed patients stop treatment within 3 months of start of therapy because of non compliance of the traditional masks used in the CPAP treatment).

In Discover Medical’s clinical trial that ended in March 2010 – non compliant patients had tried the mask. 60% of them succeeded to sleep with it. A third of them adjusted completely and two thirds adjusted partially. Most of the issues were about mask size.

In order to increase compliance among a bigger part of the obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) CPAP non complaint population, Discover Medical started and concluded development of a smaller size SomnuSeal.

In the current clinical trial the patients will have a choice of two sizes which may increase compliance among non compliant patients even more.

Eran Lavi, Discover Medical Devices CEO and co-founder states that the SomnuSeal may help millions of non compliant patients receive the CPAP treatment and improve their lives as well as their health.