Frost & Sullivan recognized ImThera Medical Inc with the 2011 North American Frost & Sullivan Award for Technology Innovation for its pioneering sleep apnea device, the aura6000.
ImThera’s aura6000 electrically stimulates the hypoglossal nerve (HGN), a motor nerve that controls six muscle groups of the human tongue. Since the muscles lose tone during sleep, stimulation of the HGN can activate the relevant tongue muscles, which can tone them and prevent or reduce obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) episodes. This requires the implantation of a small device through a minimally invasive procedure, performed by an ENT surgeon and taking between 60 and 90 minutes of surgical time.
Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this award to the company that has demonstrated uniqueness in developing a technology that significantly impacts both the functionality and the customer value of new products and applications. The award lauds the relevance of the innovation to the industry.
