Challenge
Virtually all commercial Intervertebral Disc Replacement Therapies (IDTR) have a ball and socket design concept. These designs cannot mimic the viscoelastic and shock absorbent capacity of the natural disc.
Current strategies for disc replacement do not allow for natural spinal motions and offer only partly relieve of complaints or introduce new limitations. By using a biomimetic replacement for the disk, the patient outcomes would improve.
Opportunity
The global Total Cervical Disc Replacement Market alone is valued at EUR 1 billion and is rapidly growing. In addition, Mimesis Spine will offer solutions for partial disc repair and for the lumbar spine.
There is a significant need to improve patient outcomes and quality of life, as well as save medical costs by addressing the degradation process earlier that is currently done.
Solution
Mimesis Spine is developing a treatment platform that matches the cascade of degeneration of the spine, offering different treatments depending on the stage degeneration in the cervical or lumbar region. This will allow surgeons to perform hybrid procedures constructs where they offer a different solution on a spinal motion segment basis.
The main product will be the CTDR (Cervical Total Disc Replacement). An ingenious combination of hydrogels and scaffolds, which is applied dependent on the severity of degeneration, can prevent stiffening and improve range of motion.
Status
A patent for the technology has been filed. Memesis Spine is at TRL2 and currently developing its first prototype for preclinical testing
Meet the team
Gina Melchner
Venture partner at NLC
Gina joined NLC in February 2020. As a Venture Partner, she works with a portfolio of Biotech and Medtech ventures. Gina also leads NLC’s Medtech Domain, ensuring we build impactful new Medtech ventures year after year. Gina holds a master’s in biotechnology from ETH Zurich and worked in management consulting as well as venture capital before joining NLC.