Somna Therapeutics is a medical device company based in the Milwaukee area that is focused on dramatically improving the quality of life for those who suffer from extraesophageal acid reflux disease or EERD, including 15 million with the disease in the United States alone, through its groundbreaking design of the Reza-Band™, UES Assist Device.
When functioning properly, a small muscle beneath the Adam’s apple called the upper esophageal sphincter protects against the regurgitation of stomach contents into the throat. When this muscle is not working as it should, the stomach’s contents can be regurgitated, sometimes violently, into the throat, vocal cords, windpipe and lungs. This acid reflux is known to cause a variety of serious health problems including chronic cough and throat irritation, asthma, difficulty swallowing, hoarse voice, obstructive sleep apnea, and pneumonia.
The company’s Reza-Band is a first-of-its-kind device that is designed to be worn simply around the neck, applying just enough pressure to the dysfunctional upper esophageal sphincter to prevent reflux of stomach contents into the throat and airways. Current treatments, including drug therapy, surgery and behavior modification, can be expensive and unsatisfactory. By stopping acid reflux with the unique design of the Reza-Band, the myriad of chronic health problems associated with EERD may be minimized or eliminated. These health problems are becoming increasingly costly to diagnose and treat. The health care costs associated with EERD in the United States alone total more than $54 billion a year.
“We are pleased and gratified by our first place finish in the Life Sciences Division of this year’s Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest,” said Nick Maris, President and Chief Executive of Somna Therapeutics. “Our first place award reinforces the strength and soundness of our strategy for bringing Reza-Band to the millions of EERD suffers who want and deserve a better treatment option. We look forward to initiating our clinical trials by the end of the year and commercializing Reza-Band soon after, once it receives FDA clearance.”
About Somna Therapeutics LLC
Founded in 2012 in partnership with the Medical College of Wisconsin, Somna Therapeutics is a medical device company focused on improving the quality of life for the millions of people suffering from extraesophageal acid reflux disease (EERD) by introducing the Reza-Band™ UES Assist Device, a unique, non-invasive treatment that is designed to be safe, simple and effective. In the near term, Somna Therapeutics is planning to optimize product design and complete clinical trials to gain FDA clearance to market the product. The company anticipates launching the patent-pending Reza-Band™, UES Assist Device in 2013, dependent on the timing of FDA review and clearance. Its primary customers will be hospitals and health care systems, physician clinics, and home health care providers. For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.somnatherapeutics.com.
