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Urovalve Awarded NIH grant for research to develop improved urethral catheter
Newark, N.J., December 6, 2004 - Urovalve, Inc., an early stage medical device company, has received a $100,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The award will fund initial human testing of Urovalve's lead device for treating urinary retention.
"This device will improve quality of life and decrease the high incidence of urinary tract infections for men suffering chronic urinary retention" says Harvey D. Homan, President & CEO of Urovalve, Inc. "The valved-catheter is inserted into the urethra without surgery, extracted easily, and replaced every 28 days. It will free users from reliance on a Foley catheter and bag, frequent intermittent catheterization, or surgery followed by need for a condom catheter. These low-technology devices limit activities, impose dependence on others, damage the self-image of users and cause a high incidence of serious urinary tract infections (UTI). Catheter-associated UTIs affect approximately 840,000 U. S. patients annually in acute care facilities at a cost of more than $1 billion per year.
The award, granted under the Small Business Innovative Research program (SBIR), is being funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the institute at the National Institutes of Health that supports and conducts research and research training to ensure the health, productivity, independence, and well-being of all people through optimal rehabilitation.
About Urovalve, Inc.
Urovalve, Inc. (www.urovalve.com) is a privately held company located in the Enterprise Development Center at New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, New Jersey. The company develops superior medical devices to address problems with urinary tract functions.