Category: Medical Devices

NeuroMetrix Reports Japan Regulatory Approval for NC-stat DPNCheck

Omron Healthcare Will Distribute in Japan

WALTHAM, Mass.-- NeuroMetrix, Inc. (NURO), an innovative health care company that develops wearable medical technology and point-of-care tests to help patients and physicians manage chronic pain, nerve diseases, and sleep disorders, today reported the receipt of marketing certification from Technischer Überwachungs-Verein SÜD Japan Ltd. (TÜV SÜD Japan) for NC-stat DPNCheck as a Class II Designated Controlled Medical Device as defined in the technical standards of the Japan Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare.

NC-stat DPNCheck is a rapid, accurate and quantitative point-of-care test to detect diabetic peripheral neuropathy, or DPN, at an early stage allowing physicians to select appropriate treatment. DPN is the most common complication of diabetes, affecting over half of people with diabetes. DPN causes significant morbidity including pain, increased risk of falling in the elderly, and is the primary trigger for diabetic foot ulcers which may require lower extremity amputations.

The regulatory process was managed by Omron Healthcare Co. Ltd. As the Company’s exclusive distributor for Japan, Omron initiated a DPNCheck product awareness campaign at the recent Annual Meeting of the Japan Diabetes Society. TÜV SÜD Japan approval will allow Omron to shift from market education to direct sales promotion.

Diabetes is a major health issue in Japan affecting over 7 million people or 7.6% of its adult population. Japan is also a unique market. It has a combination of physician reimbursement for nerve conduction testing and an approved pharmacological agent (Epalrestat) for treating diabetic peripheral neuropathy. As the home market for Omron Healthcare, Omron has a strong presence through complimentary products and broad, established distribution.

“Omron skillfully guided DPNCheck through the Japan regulatory process,” said Shai N. Gozani, M.D., Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of NeuroMetrix. “TÜV SÜD Japan approval allows us to finalize product labeling and, within the next few weeks, initiate DPNCheck shipments to Japan. Working closely with Omron over the past year has also helped us develop a solid partnership foundation which should serve us well in this and other large Asian markets.”

Product information on DPNCheck is available at http://www.dpncheck.com/

About Omron

Omron Healthcare, headquartered in Kyoto, Japan, is a global leader in health care monitoring. The company offers a wide range of devices and services that help prevent and manage lifestyle diseases such as blood pressure monitors, body composition monitors and activity counters as well as medical devices such as vascular screening devices and visceral fat monitors in more than 100 countries. For more information on Omron Healthcare, visit www.healthcare.omron.co.jp/english/.

About NeuroMetrix

NeuroMetrix is an innovative health-care company that develops wearable medical technology and point-of-care tests that help patients and physicians better manage chronic pain, nerve diseases, and sleep disorders. The Company has a major focus on diabetic neuropathies, which affect over 50% of people with diabetes. If left untreated, diabetic neuropathies trigger foot ulcers that may require amputation and cause disabling chronic pain. The annual cost of diabetic neuropathies has been estimated at $14 billion in the United States. The company markets the SENSUS device for treating chronic pain, focusing on physicians managing patients with neuropathic pain such as painful diabetic neuropathy. The company also markets DPNCheck, which is a rapid, accurate, and quantitative point-of-care test for peripheral neuropathies such as diabetic neuropathy. This product is used to detect neuropathies at an early stage and to guide treatment. For more information, please visit http://www.NeuroMetrix.com.

 

Contact:
NeuroMetrix, Inc.
Thomas T. Higgins, 781-314-2761
Chief Financial Officer
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