A made-in-Ontario medical device proven to save lives now being evaluated in its home province

Nov 7, 2023 (Toronto, ON) – In trauma situations where physicians are treating an unstable patient who is experiencing bleeding, time is of the utmost importance and the medical team needs to act quickly. Small and fast-acting solutions are needed to reduce complications and save lives.

Through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN ™), OBIO^® has facilitated an evaluation between Front Line Medical Technologies and Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) to help trauma patients receive a cutting-edge treatment for hemorrhage control.

Front Line’s COBRA-OS® is an innovative, minimally invasive medical device that helps control bleeding in patients with non-compressible trauma in the torso. The device is inserted to block the artery above the injury. This stops the blood flow and enables patients to reach the operating room where trauma surgeons can effectively control the bleeding and increase the patient’s chance of survival. The COBRA-OS® can be deployed in just over a minute and is the smallest device of its kind in the world. It is being used in multiple American Level 1 trauma centres and by US military groups.

“We have had the incredible privilege of providing front line physicians with a tool that has already helped save many lives since the COBRA-OS® has been available commercially in North America,” said Asha Parekh, PhD, CEO and Co-Founder of Front Line Medical Technologies. “The device has mainly been adopted in the United States and we are extremely excited to have Hamilton Health Sciences evaluating the utility of the COBRA-OS® for their system and patients”.

“As an alumnus of the McMaster University general surgery program, I am so proud to come back to Hamilton to help introduce this life-saving device to my colleagues for their trauma patients,” said Adam Power, MD, CMO, Co-founder, and practicing vascular surgeon.

”At Hamilton Health Sciences, we’re committed to finding innovative solutions to help our patients and the community. Collaborating with organizations like OBIO® is an essential part of developing partnerships with the right companies to make impactful change,” said Ted Scott, Vice President Innovation at Hamilton Health Sciences. “When it comes to trauma patients, every second counts. So, as the regional trauma centre for Central South Ontario, it’s our responsibility to explore all ways to utilize the limited time we have to save a patient’s life.”

“The trauma team is very pleased to be part of this project and looks forward to working with these important partners to bring cutting-edge technology to the bedside of our injured patients to help make a difference with saving their lives,” said Paul Engels, MD, trauma surgeon and trauma medical director at Hamilton Health Sciences.

“OBIO^® is eager to facilitate this EAHN™-funded project between HHS and Front Life Medical Technologies, supporting a medical device that increases the survival for trauma patients,” said Maura Campbell, PhD, OBIO^® President and CEO. “We are delighted to see Front Line Medical Technologies build on the previous success of COBRA-OS® and to support the commercialization of their innovation in Canada.”

About OBIO^®

OBIO^®, a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization, is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through their Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™). OBIO^® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to further the commercialization of human health technologies, positioning Canada as a leader in the international marketplace. To learn more, visit: obio.ca.

About Front Line Medical Technologies

Front Line Medical Technologies is a medical device company lowering the barriers to bleeding control and resuscitation worldwide. The company offers a life-saving tool, the COBRA-OS™ (Control of Bleeding, Resuscitation, Arterial Occlusion System) to help patients survive emergency situations. The COBRA-OS is used for REBOA (Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta) procedures, and its significantly reduced size decreases both the time it takes to complete the procedure and the risk of complications.

About Hamilton Health Sciences

Hamilton Health Sciences is a community of 15,000 staff, physicians, researchers and volunteers that proudly serves southwestern Ontario residents. It is the only hospital in Ontario that cares for all ages, from pre-birth to end-of-life and offers world-leading expertise in many areas, including cardiac and stroke care, cancer care, palliative care and pediatrics. Hamilton Health Sciences is also a world-renowned hospital for healthcare research and has a daily focus on improving the quality of care for patients through innovation and evidence-based practices.

Contacts

For more information about OBIO’s Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), or if you are interested in joining the Network, please contact: Bibaswan Ghoshal, Senior Director, Technology Adoption

For more information about Front Line Medical Technologies, please contact: Asha Parekh, CEO and Co-Founder

For more information about Hamilton Health Sciences, please contact: Wendy Stewart, Communications Advisor