BresoDx completes MaRS EXCITE program: at-home sleep apnea device available to Ontarians

TORONTO, May 16, 2017 – An at-home sleep apnea test will be available to Ontario patients for the first time as the result of a unique MaRS program.

BresoDx, a portable test for sleep apnea, is the first technology to complete MaRS EXCITE, an innovative initiative that accelerates the adoption of health technology in Ontario. The breakthrough medical device, developed by BresoTec, will be rolled out to select clinics in the province. BresoDx offers a patient-centred option for sleep testing. Patients can use the device at home rather than in a sleep laboratory.

Through MaRS EXCITE, the Ontario-based company was able to collaborate with the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC) and other key stakeholders to gather the appropriate evidence and develop an implementation plan, key factors required for adoption within any health system.

The study was designed and executed by the Toronto Health Economics and Technology Assessment Collaborative (THETA), one of EXCITE’s seven methodological centres.

“BresoDx’s uptake in Ontario illustrates that when health innovators are given the opportunity to work in collaboration with both clinicians and stakeholders in the healthcare system, transformative medical breakthroughs can reach patients sooner,” says Shahira Bhimani, director of MaRS EXCITE. “This is an example of how the EXCITE program is enabling Ontarians to gain access to innovative new healthcare technologies.”

“This innovative technology—the first technology assessed through the EXCITE process—will give patients the option to test for sleep apnea in the comfort of their own home,” says Dr. Eric Hoskins, Ontario’s Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. “I applaud the work of those involved, including the Office of the Chief Health Innovation Strategist, which helps accelerate the adoption of innovative technologies in Ontario’s health system.”

“My office works on behalf of health technology innovators to remove barriers and improve access to Ontario’s health care system,” said William Charnetski, Ontario’s Chief Health Innovation Strategist. “The EXCITE program is a key partner in advancing our mission to grow businesses and build a health innovation ecosystem right here in Ontario.”

“Giving patients in Ontario the ability to test for sleep apnea in the comfort of their own home represents a key validation for BresoTec as we look to bring our technology to international markets,” says Geoff Fernie, CEO of BresoTec.

Sleep apnea affects around 10% of adults globally, but fewer than 15% of North Americans who have the condition have been diagnosed. Left untreated, sleep apnea leads to serious health complications, including a three- to four-fold increase in the risk of hypertension, stroke and heart failure.

About MaRS EXCITE
MaRS Excellence in Clinical Innovation and Technology Evaluation (EXCITE) is an evaluation platform that accelerates the adoption of breakthrough medical technologies by prioritizing only the best, most cost-effective technologies and helping them to obtain the evidence they need for federal licensing and provincial health system adoption. Additionally, EXCITE’s vast network into the US and European health systems enables a more synergistice approach to design and implementation of a mulit-market access strategy for innovative health technologies.

EXCITE helps these technologies navigate the system and get to market—and to patients—faster by providing:
• an early indication of fit with the healthcare system;
• evidence in time to make technology improvements; and
• harmonized studies that support regulatory licensing and adoption decisions.

EXCITE is made possible through province-wide collaboration and leadership. Key stakeholders comprising EXCITE’s Management Board include research hospitals (Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario), healthcare delivery organizations (Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Saint Elizabeth Health Care), the provincial government (MOHLTC; OCHIS; Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science; Ministry of Economic Development and Growth), the Ministry’s advisory support on quality healthcare (Health Quality Ontario), industry (MEDEC, Boston Scientific) and MaRS.

About BresoTec Inc.
BresoTec, a Canadian company based in Toronto, develops and commercializes products for the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea and related health conditions.

BresoTec’s first product, BresoDx, is an innovative and simple device using acoustic and movement analysis technology to diagnose sleep apnea in the home. BresoDx received regulatory approval from Health Canada in December 2014 and from the European Commission (CE marking) in February 2016.

The BresoDx technology was developed at Toronto Rehabilitation Institute of the University Health Network (UHN) by Dr. Geoff Fernie, Dr. Douglas Bradley and Dr. Hisham Alshaer. The technology was licensed to BresoTec; founded by UHN and MaRS Innovation in 2012.

About MaRS Discovery District
MaRS Discovery District (@MaRSDD) in Toronto is one of the world’s largest urban innovation hubs. Our purpose is to help innovators change the world. MaRS supports promising ventures tackling key challenges in the health, cleantech, finance and commerce, and work and learning sectors, as they start, grow and scale. In addition, the MaRS community fosters cross-disciplinary collaboration to drive breakthrough discoveries and new solutions to be adopted in Canada and beyond, growing our economy and delivering societal impact at scale.

For more information, contact:
MaRS EXCITE
Tel: 416-673-8100