Clinical Study to Treat Lower Back Pain On Earth May Help Astronauts in Space

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National Space Biomedical Research Institute

Aug 12, 2014, 04:05 ET

HOUSTON, Aug. 12, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- ZetrOZ, Inc. has been funded by the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) for a clinical study to test the Sustained Acoustic Medicine (sam®) device in patients suffering from lower back pain. ZetrOZ, Inc., of Trumbull, CT will receive a Space Medical and Related Technologies Commercialization Program (SMARTCAP) grant. SMARTCAP grants, administered by NSBRI's Industry Forum, are used to partner with the private sector to accelerate the development of commercially promising products meeting a medical need in space, as well as on Earth.

Back pain is experienced by astronauts as their spine elongates up to 2 inches while in the microgravity environment of space. sam® was developed for daily use and is prescribed by licensed healthcare practitioners such as orthopedists and physiotherapists for tendonitis and muscle injury recovery. The wearable sam® system enables delivery of one to four hours of therapeutic ultrasound treatment and could be used by astronauts in space.

"Ultrasound is a great platform for spaceflight, delivering both diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities" said Dr. Dorit Donoviel, NSBRI's Deputy Chief Scientist and Industry Forum Lead. She added "ultrasound is portable, wearable and does not deliver harmful radiation. NSBRI has supported the development of diagnostic and therapeutic approaches involving ultrasound for kidney stones, bone, and brain health. Sustained acoustic medicine holds great promise to accelerate the healing of muscles and tendons as well as possibly bone and cartilage. ZetrOZ has developed a disruptive technology and we are excited to fund this important clinical study."

"Chronic and recurring pain affects over 150 million US citizens, and costs the healthcare system over $650 billion dollars for pain management and lost work productivity", said Dr. George Lewis, ZetrOZ Chief Scientific and Technology Officer and Co-Founder. He added, "We are excited to partner with NSBRI to rigorously study effective treatment protocols of sustained acoustic medicine on the lower back. Our 30-patient pilot study on upper back pain demonstrated significant clinical improvement, and also suggested that increasing the length of treatment would provide additional pain relief that we will clinically confirm thanks to NSBRI's support."

SMARTCAP now accepts applications year-round, with applications reviewed quarterly. To be considered for review during the next cycle, applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. Central Time, December 3, 2014. Submission guidelines and additional information regarding SMARTCAP are located at www.smartcap.org. Grant recipients must secure a 100-percent match in funding. This leveraging of federal funding actively fosters public-private collaborations and partnerships.

About NSBRI
Established in 1997 through a NASA competition, NSBRI is headquartered in the Texas Medical Center and is a consortium of leading biomedical institutions including Baylor College of Medicine, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Harvard Medical School, The Johns Hopkins University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Morehouse School of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, Rice University, Texas A&M University, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, University of Pennsylvania Health System and University of Washington. NSBRI, a 501(c)(3) organization partnered with NASA, is studying the health risks related to long-duration spaceflight and developing the technologies and countermeasures needed for human space exploration missions. The Institute's science, technology and career development projects take place at approximately 60 institutions across the United States. For more information, please visit www.nsbri.org.

About ZetrOZ, Inc.
ZetrOZ, founded in March 2009, is a biomedical ultrasound technology designer and manufacturer that has developed Oz Inside®, a powerful, proprietary miniaturization technology that delivers the spectrum of ultrasound more efficiently, more economically, and more effectively than ever before. The company combines unparalleled ultrasound expertise with rich biomedical capabilities as the basis of its primary focus: a pipeline of applications in health and wellness to improve life quality through targeted pain management, accelerated healing and enhanced tissue recovery. sam®, the company's newest product in its portfolio, is the world's smallest, wearable, sustained ultrasound pain therapy device. sam® addresses the $650 billion dollar U.S. market for pain and lost work productivity, and the global demand for safer, non-pharmaceutical and non-addictive alternatives for sustained pain management.

ZetrOZ also has also been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research Grant from National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities of the U.S. National Institutes of Health - Award Number R43MD008597 - to evaluate the effectiveness of its long-duration wearable ultrasound therapy technology for osteoarthritis disease management. This study is currently in progress. www.zetroz.com.

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SOURCE National Space Biomedical Research Institute