Urovalve, Inc. has developed proprietary, miniature, remote-controllable, durable, low-cost, fluid valves that are particularly appropriate for managing problems such as urinary retention and incontinence.

The first technology is the Surinate^® Bladder Management system. In the urethra, the Surinate^® Bladder Management system bridges the bladder neck, prostrate and external sphincter and provides a valved connection between the bladder and the bulbous urethra.

How the Surinate^® bladder management system works

At the bladder end, the Surinate^® catheter expands into a roughly diamond-shaped cage (in medical terms a malecot) that has an opening that allows urine to enter and travel through the bladder neck (internal) sphincter and external sphincter (below the prostrate) to the valve. The valve is operated by a hand held switching magnet that is about the size of the small finger. When the hand held switching magnet is brought within 3 - 4 centimeters of the check valve magnet, it draws the check magnet away from the valve seat, permitting urine to flow out through the urethra. On removal of the hand held magnet, the check magnet spontaneously returns to a position occluding the valve seat. The simplicity of operation will allow patients to function very much like normal.

Expected working life

Initially, the Surinate^® Bladder Management system is expected to be inserted in the urologist’s office and to remain in the urethra for a period of 28 days. On the 29th day it will be removed and, if needed, immediately be replaced with fresh, sterile system. Surinate^®, like any foreign object in contact with urine, may accumulate thickened mucous, dead cells and calcareous deposits that eventually cause it to malfunction. The debris eventually slows down the flow. Debris is not expected to clog the valve shut, but may slow it down. This slow down in flow will give the patient warning that a replacement is due. Debris may also prevent the valve from closing tightly and may cause it to leak slowly. The 28 day replacement cycle is expected to preempt debris caused leakage in most patients. The ease of extraction of the Surinate^® system is expected to be a safeguard against injury in case the valve did clog.

Intellectual property portfolio

• The Company owns issued patents and is pursuing additional applications.
• US 5,366,506 (Nov 12, 1994), Phillip J. Davis, “Proximity intraurethral valve using permanent magnet check”
• EP 0 700 668 (March 13, 1996), Phillip J. Davis, “Intraurethral magnetic valve”
• US 6,066,088 (May 23, 2000), Phillip J. Davis, “Intraurethral magnetic valve”
• PCT/US2007/086157 (November 30, 2007), Phillip J. Davis, Thomas W. Winegar, Harvey D. Homan and Andrew R. Leopold “System and method for implanting a catheter”
• U.S. Serial no. 11/993,356 (December 20, 2007), Phillip J. Davis, Thomas W. Winegar, Harvey D. Homan and Andrew R. Leopold “System and method for implanting a catheter”
• The Company was issued the trademark SURINATE^® (3,150,827) by the US Patent and Trademark Office on October 3, 2006.