Umeå technology company supports diagnosis of hidden disease
NEWS
Likvor, a medical device start-up company based in Umeå, has been granted CE marking for its instrument for better and safer identification and diagnosis of Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH). The instrument, CELDA, was developed to assess the dynamics – pressure, flow and resistance – of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) surrounding the brain and spinal cord. It is the result of over 30 years of research at Umeå University and Norrlands University Hospital.
CELDA facilitates a greater understanding and enhanced diagnosis of NPH, a condition that is often mistaken for dementia. The European Economic Area (EEA) CE marking opens up the European market for the product.
”CE marking is an important milestone for us at Likvor. Now we can offer the healthcare industry an instrument that will give them the opportunity to better help this patient group,” says Likvor’s CEO Kjell Öberg. “Today many people receive the wrong diagnosis and therefore also the wrong treatment. Correct diagnosis and treatment of NPH means that patients can make a complete recovery.
CELDA makes it easy for doctors to assess CSF dynamics such as pressure, flow, conductance and resistance, which are factors that can be regulated by a shunt. Likvor’s instrument is the first commercially available instrument that provides a safe and easy way to assess CSF dynamics. This will help healthcare centers in the diagnosis of NPH and in the control of the functionality of a patient’s shunt. CELDA is the only instrument designed to verify the functionality of a shunt inserted into a patient as well.
The technology behind Likvor’s instrument is based on many years of clinical research at Umeå University and Norrland’s University Hospital.
The instrument will be presented at the Hydrocephalus 2009 conference, September 16 - 19, in Baltimore, U.S. Hydrocephalus 2009 is the largest scientific conference in this field.
In July, Likvor received a conversion loan from the Norrlandsfonden for a total of SEK 3 million, this in conjunction with the capital injection contributed by owners in May of a total of SEK 3 million will be used to finance the launch stage that Likvor is currently entering. Likvor’s principal owners are Uminova Invest and LinkMed.
About Likvor Likvor AB was established by Uminova Invest AB at the beginning of 2007. In December 2007, Uminova Invest AB sold part of the company to LinkMed AB. At the same time, Likvor AB carried out a new issue of shares which were subscribed to by Uminova Invest AB and LinkMed AB.
