Israeli Device May Prevent Readmission for COPD

A unique device developed in Israel could significantly enhance the effectiveness of treatment for any respiratory diseases, including asthma. However, it is primarily intended for use in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the management of which currently poses a significant challenge for healthcare professionals. The use of this device, which is expected to hit the market soon, is anticipated to reduce the number of readmissions.

The mobile respiratory monitoring system, designed as a chest strap with sensors by Resmetrix Medical, continuously and accurately tracks, records, and analyzes various types or patterns of breathing and alerts users to the first signs of deterioration. It can be used for the treatment of any respiratory diseases, including asthma. "But the initial focus of the developers is on COPD because it places a huge burden on the healthcare system," explains CEO Carmit Levy.

According to recent data, nearly a quarter of a billion people worldwide live with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, suffering from persistent airflow limitation in the airways. In the United States, this condition is the third leading cause of death among both children and adults.

"The main issue with COPD lies in the associated costs – it costs the American government $50 billion annually, with $15 billion spent on readmissions," says Levy. "One in five patients who is hospitalized ends up back in the hospital within a month of discharge. Due to such patients, insurance companies impose penalties on hospitals, so healthcare institutions have a strong incentive to monitor them after discharge. And we will help them with that."

To this end, the Israeli company has developed a flexible sensor embedded in the chest strap that will allow individuals with respiratory diseases to monitor their condition at home, promptly identifying the slightest signs of exacerbation, recording potential deteriorations, and thus preventing costly hospitalizations.

The sensor detects the type of breathing by responding to even minor changes in chest circumference and other parameters, such as relative tidal volume (the amount of air in the lungs at different points in the breathing cycle). Typically, this is measured using a spirometer, but that device cannot provide continuous measurements.

The unique sensor also records vital signs – heart rate and body temperature. "In addition, the chest strap has sensors to measure activity level and position, so we know what the patient is doing during monitoring," adds Levy. "The device operates autonomously and requires no effort from the user; it can be worn anywhere at any time."

The collected data is securely transmitted via the cloud to a special application on a smartphone, with which the system connects wirelessly. There, artificial intelligence algorithms developed by Israeli specialists compare the obtained readings with the patient's baseline data. After analysis, the application determines the user's current respiratory status. Green indicates that all readings are normal, orange signals the beginning of deterioration, and red indicates a severe condition.

"This way, the patient will know when to start treatment or, if the situation is serious, to call a doctor," notes Carmit Levy. "Our goal is to monitor the health of individuals with respiratory diseases, identifying the first signs of deterioration, which will allow them to receive necessary medical assistance more quickly, avoid unnecessary hospitalizations, and the costs associated with complications."

The device will be available in small, medium, large, and extra-large sizes. Levy emphasizes the particular importance of its use in children: their condition often deteriorates and improves quite rapidly, but they generally cannot accurately express how they feel. Moreover, many diagnostic methods for assessing lung function, such as spirometry, cannot be used in children under five years old. "For such little ones, the Israeli device will be a lifesaver," notes the company leader.

Unique Opportunity

Resmetrix Medical was founded two years ago by Carmit Levy and two direct authors of the revolutionary device – Dr. Ari Derow, a well-known inventor of several medical devices and head of the pediatric otolaryngology department at Ichilov (Sourasky) Hospital in Tel Aviv, and Tzvi Reznik, who holds a PhD in electrical engineering and is the author of several patented technologies. It was they who came up with the idea of tracking changes in chest circumference and accurately calculating tidal volume based on that data.

The startup has become a portfolio company of the Israeli business incubator MindUp, which supports projects in the digital health sector and collaborates with Medtronic, IBM, and Rambam Medical Center in Haifa. It aims to ensure adequate monitoring of COPD patients outside the hospital.

According to Levy, there are companies that produce portable devices in the form of watches and patches, but they typically only track breathing rate, while the Resmetrix device also monitors changes in tidal volume and is designed to determine respiratory status. She also noted that competitors' developments are mostly more expensive than the Resmetrix device.

The prototype of the chest strap with special sensors was tested on asthma patients in the pediatric department of Rambam Medical Center. Researchers measured participants' readings at baseline, during mild deterioration, and after treatment to develop an effective algorithm based on that data.

Clinical studies showed a high correlation between the measurements of chest circumference with the new device and tidal volume measured by spirometry. In September, the Israeli startup became a finalist in the RESI Boston Innovation Challenge program. This attracted the attention of investors and companies in the medical technology sector, marking the beginning of the next funding phase.

The Resmetrix team continues to refine its respiratory function monitoring system and is preparing for preliminary trials of the technology on COPD patients, which are expected to begin within a year. Participants will be monitored first in the hospital and then for an additional two months at home after discharge.

If the company receives approval for its device from the European and American food and drug administrations, it could enter the global market in about a year and a half to two years.