Challenge
Approximately half a billion people between the age of 30 and 69 suffer from the most common type of sleep-related breathing disorder, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA prevalence is rising and its effects are detrimental to both the patient’s daily well-being and productivity in workplace and their motor vehicle safety.
Opportunity
Currently, the gold-standard treatment of OSA is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). However, CPAP has a 15% initial refusal rate because up to 50% of the patients drop out in the first three years of treatment. Non-CPAP therapies (e.g., oral appliance therapy and upper airway surgery) have varied and unpredictable efficacy and can be expensive.
Solution
Pasithea’s mechanism of action is based on non-invasive triggered kinesthetic stimulation. Pasithea is able to detect the early phase of apnea or hypopnea and induces a controlled startle response. This can, then, activate sub-cortical centres controlling upper airways muscles, and, thus, limit the associated oxygen desaturation and tachycardia. The latter are linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular morbidity.
Status
Pasithea has already been granted 8 patent certificates. The company is now focusing on the miniaturization of the device and on ensuring compliance with medical device requirements (CE mark and FDA approval).
Meet the team
Alfredo Hernández
Inventor
Jean-Louis Pépin
Inventor
