Itamar-Medical’s WatchPAT technology chosen as one of The Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2010

Itamar-Medical’s WatchPAT technology has been selected to The Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2010 at the seventh annual Cleveland Clinic Medical Innovation Summit. In developing the Top 10, Cleveland Clinic enlisted the expertise of AlixPartners, LLP, an independent international management advisory firm in order to develop a consensus perspective on the Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2010.

“The recognition of WatchPAT technology as an innovative technology is actively transforming the field of Ambulatory Sleep Testing and is consistent with the rapid market adaptation of the WatchPAT,” said Dr. Dov Rubin, President & CEO of Itamar-Medical. “We have been perfecting the technology over the last decade and it is now ready for prime time.”

Four major criteria served as the basis for qualifying and selecting the Top 10 Medical Innovations. Nominated innovations were required to:

• Have significant potential for short-term clinical impact (either a major improvement in patient benefit or an improved function that enhances healthcare delivery).
• Have a high probability of success.
• Be on the market or close to being introduced.
• Have sufficient data available to support its nomination.

The basic technology, which evolved into the WatchPAT technology, originated at the Technion Institute of Technology, in Prof. Peretz Lavie’s laboratory where Prof. Lavie (the newly-elected President of the Technion), Dr. Bob Schnall and Dr. Koby Sheffy conducted their original research. In the late ‘90’s Itamar-Medical acquired the base technology, developed it, and introduced the WatchPAT device targeted at the Ambulatory Sleep Testing market. Itamar-Medical has been granted 40 patents related to the underlying technology and products.

“The unique collaboration between the Technion and Itamar-Medical over the years should serve as a model for both academia and the Med-Tech industry. Revolutionary devices like WatchPAT that can foster large-scale changes in world health requires both the strong scientific base provided by the academia combined with product development, marketing and sales skills that the Med-Tech industry can bring to bear,” said Dr. Giora Yaron co-founder and co-Chairman of Itamar medical.