RICHMOND, Calif., Jan. 29, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ekso Bionics Holdings, Inc. (OTCQB:EKSO), a robotic exoskeleton company, announced that nine leading centers in Europe including SPZ Notwill in Switzerland, Institut Guttmann in Spain and The Clinic for Spinal Cord Injuries in Hornbaek, Denmark (now part of Rigshospitalet and Glostrup Hospital), are participating in a clinical study to include close to 70 participants. The study will examine how Ekso GT may improve general outcomes as well as reduce secondary complications, such as pain and bowel and bladder dysfunction, commonly associated with spinal cord injury (SCI), and is expected to run for 30 months with early findings expected next year.
“This landmark study is the first one of its kind,” says Thomas Looby, president and chief commercial officer. “While smaller, early trials have shown great promise, the time is right for Ekso Bionics to lead the charge in building a compelling dataset across a range of treatment protocols and clinical environments. This will be an important step to becoming standard of care for SCI rehabilitation and we are proud to be working with these luminaries as they pave the way for widespread exoskeleton use with their patients.”
The study-coordinating center is the Clinic for Spinal Cord Injuries in Hornbaek, Denmark at Rigshospitalet and Glostrup Hospital; Principal investigator is Fin Biering-Sorensen, PhD. Head of the Department for Spinal Cord Injuries, Glostrup Hospital, Denmark and Professor in Spinal Cord Injuries at the University of Copenhagen, Professor Biering-Sørensen is past President of the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS) and has been a major figure in SCI clinical research for many years. The Pan European study clinical center networks also include:
- Fundación Lesionado Medular (FLM), Barcelona, Spain
- Heliomare revalidatie, Heliomare, The Netherlands
- Institut Guttmann Neurorehabilitation Hospital, Madrid, Spain
- Institutionen för medicin och hälsa (IMH), Linköpings universitet, Sweden
- Spinalenheten, Akademiska sjukhuset Uppsala, Sweden
- Sunnaas Sykehus HF, Oslo, Norway
- Swiss Paraplegic Centre (SPZ), Notwill, Switzerland
- Universitäts- und Rehabilitationskliniken (RKU), Ulm, Germany
“Patient and physician interest has been very high so far and the initial response to the study design has been positive,” said Fin Biering-Sorensen, Principle Investigator. “I’m excited to lead a study of this scope to not only compile evidence for how these exoskeletons fit into the current continuum of care for SCI patients, but also could eventually improve quality of life with home use.”
Ekso Bionics designs, develops, and commercializes exoskeletons, or wearable robots, which have a variety of applications in the medical, military, industrial, and consumer markets. Exoskeletons are ready-to-wear, battery-powered robots that are strapped over the user’s clothing, enabling individuals to achieve mobility, strength, and endurance not otherwise possible.
Ekso Bionics’ lead product, EksoTM, is a wearable bionics suit that enables individuals with any amount of lower extremity weakness to stand up and walk over ground. Ekso Bionics is forging a new frontier in rehabilitation for people living with the consequences of stroke, spinal cord injury, and other neurological conditions affecting gait.
About Ekso Bionics (OTCQB:EKSO)
Since 2005, Ekso Bionics (http://www.eksobionics.com) has been pioneering the field of robotic exoskeletons, or wearable robots, to augment human strength, endurance and mobility. The company’s first commercially available product called Ekso has helped thousands of people living with paralysis take millions of steps not otherwise possible. By designing and creating some of the most forward-thinking and innovative solutions for people looking to augment human capabilities, Ekso Bionics is helping people rethink current physical limitations and achieve the remarkable.
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Forward-Looking Statements
Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements regarding (i) the plans and objectives of management for future operations, including plans or objectives relating to the design, development and commercialization of human exoskeletons, (ii) a projection of financial results, financial condition, capital expenditures, capital structure or other financial items, (iii) the Company’s future financial performance and (iv) the assumptions underlying or relating to any statement described in points (i), (ii) or (iii) above. Such forward-looking statements are not meant to predict or guarantee actual results, performance, events or circumstances and may not be realized because they are based upon the Company’s current projections, plans, objectives, beliefs, expectations, estimates and assumptions and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties and other influences, many of which the Company has no control over. Actual results and the timing of certain events and circumstances may differ materially from those described by the forward-looking statements as a result of these risks and uncertainties. Factors that may influence or contribute to the inaccuracy of the forward-looking statements or cause actual results to differ materially from expected or desired results may include, without limitation, the Company’s inability to obtain adequate financing to fund the Company’s operations and necessary to develop or enhance our technology, the significant length of time and resources associated with the development of the Company’s products, the Company’s failure to achieve broad market acceptance of the Company’s products, the failure of our sales and marketing organization or partners to market our products effectively, adverse results in future clinical studies of the Company’s medical device products, the failure to obtain or maintain patent protection for the Company’s technology, failure to obtain or maintain regulatory approval to market the Company’s medical devices, lack of product diversification, existing or increased competition, and the Company’s failure to implement the Company’s business plans or strategies. These and other factors are identified and described in more detail in the Company’s filings with the SEC. To learn more about Ekso Bionics please visit us at www.eksobionics.com. The Company does not undertake to update these forward-looking statements.
CONTACT: Media Contact: Heidi Darling, Director of Marketing Communications Phone: 415.302.4777 hdarling@eksobionics.com Investor Contact: Lauren Glaser, Vice President Phone: 646.378.2972 lglaser@troutgroup.com
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