The JiffyStent Inserter, a Class 1 medical device looking to revolutionise kidney stone management, has taken out the title of best early-stage project at AusMedtech 2024's Early-Stage Innovation Forum (ESIF).
The twice-annual ESIF competition featured presentations from Australia's local research institutes, universities, hospitals and pre-series A companies, last week in the areas of medical devices and diagnostics, digital health and enabling technologies.
Held in Adelaide on 22 May at AusMedtech 2024, nine early-stage projects from across Australia received feedbackfrom an expert panel intended to be helpful to their technology's commercialisation journey.
Dr Joseph Ischia, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, JiffyStent, presented the JiffyStent Inserter (JSI), a Class 1 medical device for the management of kidney stone pain. The JSI is a ureteral stent inserter designed for safe, swift, and secure stent placement, providing rapid relief from kidney stone pain.
Kidney stones are common, impacting 0.5 percent of the total population annually (approximately 40 million) and their global prevalence and recurrence are increasing. Presentations to the health system in primary markets sit at 5 million each year, with a surgical intervention rate of around 12 percent, or 600,000 procedures.
Problems exist with the current treatment of acute renal colic due to a kidney stone obstructing the ureter. The inefficient and costly current management comprises strong opioid pain relief medications, hospital admission, and the insertion of a ureteric stent in the operating theatre under general anaesthetic. With an average hospital stay of 1.7 days and utilisation of one hour of theatre time - for what is a 3-5-minute procedure - it currently costs Australian hospitals approximately $7,500AUD per intervention.
JiffyStent-developed JSI is a ureteric stent inserter that can be used in the emergency department. This provides patients with immediate pain relief, avoids the need for general anaesthetic, and frees up already stretched hospital resources.
The cost to the hospital per JSI intervention (device and reimbursement of hospital costs, including Emergency Room, Urologist, and the procedure) are expected to cost approximately $3,000AUD, substantially cheaper than the current standard of care.
The JSI is at the final prototype stage. The next stage of the project is to undertake in-human clinical trials, secure regulatory approvals and further patents, complete development of electronics and certification, confirm manufacturing plans, and commence production of the product.
The company is actively looking for investment to support the product's development and to make it market ready.
The AusMedtech 2024 ESIF was judged by a panel of experts including Michelle Gallaher (Cerulea), Eddie Walker (FB Rice), Sarah Meibusch (OneVentures), Steve Burnell (Tenmile), and Mark Lawler (West Pharmaceuticals)
The next ESIF will be therapeutics focused and will be held at AusBiotech 2024 happening from 30 October – November 1 in Melbourne.
