Innovative Pain Diagnosis Device

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Innovative Pain Diagnosis Device

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/87398.php

s Proof of Concept Inc. (SPOC) of Stamford, Conn., a

Technogenesis® Company incubated at s Institute of Technology,

and Connecticut Innovations (CI), the state's quasi-public authority

responsible for technology investing and innovation development,

have announced that CI has completed a follow-on pre-Series A

investment of $300,000 in SPOC. CI made this investment through its

Eli Whitney Fund. Earlier this year, CI invested in SPOC through its

Connecticut BioSeed Fund.

SPOC was formed in July 2005 at s Institute of Technology,

Hoboken, New Jersey, by its University Research and Enterprise

Development office along with Dr. Norman Marcus, a leader in pain

management, and three s undergraduate students in biomedical

engineering. SPOC has developed a proprietary point-of-care medical

diagnostic system, consisting of a medical device and methodology

that pinpoint the specific myofascial (muscle) trigger points

causing pain. The patent pending device is the first use of

electroneural stimulation for diagnostic purposes. SPOC's diagnostic

system will benefit patients by helping to eliminate treatments that

prove to be ineffective, such as surgical procedures, and by

allowing physicians to locate more effectively and to treat muscles

that generate pain.

Since approximately 100 million people in the United States suffer

from chronic pain and approximately 80 percent of Americans suffer

from some form of pain in their lifetime, the potential market for

such a system is enormous.

Vikki Hazelwood, chief executive officer of SPOC, commented, " We are

pleased to have had such solid and active support from our

investors -- CI and s. CI's follow-on financing will ensure

that we maintain our stride as we continue to develop SPOC Inc. in

Stamford and position it well for our Series A investment. "

Dr. Helena Wisniewski, vice president of University Research and

Enterprise Development at s Institute of Technology added, " We

appreciate CI's commitment to SPOC. The additional funding from CI

provides a confirmation of SPOC's commercial value. CI's business

guidance together with its funding has contributed significantly to

SPOC's rapid development, and we feel that working together we can

reach SPOC's true market potential. "

" We have been extremely encouraged by the ability of the team at

SPOC to achieve its technical and business milestones, " said

Longo, president and executive director of CI. " Progress at the

company has been faster and better than anticipated. Consequently,

we wanted to help the company maintain its strong momentum and have

supported it with this follow-on funding. " Longo added, " We look

forward to providing further investment assistance to SPOC in early

2008, when it will be seeking a Series A round of funding. "