AirStrip, a mobile health company that got its start by enabling obstetricians to do remote monitoring for pregnant women, has acquired Sense4Baby assets for an undisclosed amount from Gary and Mary West Health Institute, according to a company statement. It’s a significant milestone for West Health as the company marks its first spinoff. Sense4Baby’s handheld wireless fetal and maternal monitoring system is designed for non-stress testing for high-risk pregnancies wherever cellular service is available.
The monitoring device, which can be used on a tablet or smartphone, got FDA clearance at the end of last year to be used by a doctor or nurse in the run-up to labor. The Class 2 medical device also has CE Mark approval. AirStrip plans to apply for clearance to use the device for home-based monitoring.
The deal will allow allow women to undergo non-stress testing to monitor fetal andmaternal heart rate and contraction patterns using non-invasive sensors at physicians’ offices, clinics and ambulances, according to the statement.
When Investment Rhymes with Canada
Canada has a proud history of achievement in the areas of science and technology, and the field of biomanufacturing and life sciences is no exception.
Stress4Baby data will be integrated with AirStrip ONE, a platform that allows clinical data from vital signs, allergies, medications, medical images and lab results to be pulled from disparate EMR systems and aggregated in one screen for mobile devices and desktops.
West Health developed the technology in 2010 and embarked on a one-year joint research project with Carlos Slim Institute in Yucatán, Mexico to fine tune its prototype in 2012. Sense4Baby was West health’s first incubator company.
Among the factors that can make a pregnancy high risk are any chronic health conditions the mother may have such as high blood pressure or diabetes, or if she weighs too much or too little.
