Women's healthtech player wins Medilink Partnership with Academia Award

A pelvic floor muscle re-trainer from Femeda has won the Medilink “Partnership with Academia Award” 2019 at an awards ceremony in Leeds.

The device, which was launched into the UK market in October 2018, contains Reactive Pulse Technology (RPT) that offers a solution for a female bladder leakage. This award follows Femeda’s success at the Bionow Awards in 2018 where it won Product of the Year.

The awards cover the whole of the North of England and saw industry, academia and the NHS come together to celebrate the achievements of the health sector in the region. Companies from across the north were shortlisted for the 2019 Medilink North of England Healthcare Business Awards.

Professor Jacqueline Oldham, director of Corridor Manchester Health Innovation, said: “Pelviva is the result of pain staking research through academic, clinical and industry collaboration bringing innovation into healthcare. This trail blazing development has the potential to transform the lives of women worldwide.”

A lack of market innovation led Femeda to develop Pelviva – a disposable, clinically effective, discreet and easy-to-use Pelvic Floor muscle re-trainer for the treatment of bladder leakage in women.

Pelviva incorporates a pattern of neuromuscular electrical stimulation using a programme developed by Professor Oldham at The University of Manchester. Each device contains a microprocessor that delivers Reactive Pulse Technology to the pelvic floor muscles. The Pelviva reactive pulse mimics the way the body works naturally, causing the pelvic floor muscles to contract. This helps restore speed and strength to the power fibres, to prevent bladder leakage when women cough, laugh, sneeze or exercise. It also re-trains the endurance fibres to hold on when a woman urgently needs the toilet.

The product is made of a Body Responsive Foam, which adapts to every woman’s individual shape. The Pelviva RPT delivers a series of intensive reactive pulses every alternate 10 seconds, to stimulate the pelvic floor muscles.

Andrew Tasker, CEO of Femeda said: “It is a great achievement to have won in this category. This recognises the result of 10 years research and development to bring to market a highly consumer acceptable medical device which delivers a clinically proven treatment, addressing the biggest unmet need in female health. The unique development is the result of combining advanced research and patents from University of Manchester with Femeda product development to deliver a product which meets the patient need. We value the partnership with the University of Manchester and we are continuing to work closely with the team and broader healthcare infrastructure in Manchester to implement a landmark real world clinical trial this year.”