Fellow Spotlight: Lenoss Medical

Vertebral Body Augmentation is the surgical treatment of painful, traumatic spinal/vertebral fractures occurring in patients with weakened bone due to osteoporosis. Traditionally, a surgical balloon system is used to create a void within the vertebral body, which is then injected with a liquid epoxy that hardens to provide stability to the damaged vertebra. Although the balloon and liquid epoxy technique is widely used, there are a variety of reported problems with this method.

First, the liquid epoxy is known to leak outside the spine, reported to occur in about 23% of cases. This risks leakage into the vascular system, which can then travel into the patient’s heart and lungs, causing severe long-term complications. Second, natural fracture healing is no longer possible due to the hardened epoxy within the fractured vertebrae. Third, the natural biomechanics of the spine are altered and may lead to an increased risk of additional painful fractures. Additionally, the time-sensitivity of the epoxy, the toxic out-gassing, and the complex surgical preparation with dozens of disposable instruments makes for an undesirable experience for the caregivers and produces unnecessary product waste.

Lenoss Medical has entered the scene to introduce a disruptive new method of vertebral body augmentation. Lenoss Medical is a start-up with an innovative, biological bone implant technology for the treatment of painful spinal fractures. When natural, biological bone implants are used in weak, fractured vertebrae, a regenerative process can occur: new bone building, and repair of the fractured vertebrae may occur. Lenosses' biological implant and instrumentation system is intended to stabilize the fracture, promote natural bone-remodeling, eliminate the liquid epoxy risks and reduce complex handling steps by 70%.

Dom Messerli, MBA is President & CEO of Lenoss Medical, having 27 years of experience in developing and commercializing Spinal Medical Devices. With his team, he has successfully completed the product development cycle and all regulatory requirements. Furthermore, initial surgeries with this innovative approach have been performed within a clinical study in the U.S.

Lenoss Medical has onboarded 5 highly-respected, academic hospitals in New York, Ohio, and Colorado. Preparations for the Go-To-Market phase are progressing at full steam with the first purchasing agreement with a hospital group in New York underway.

Dom and his team have successfully taken Lenoss Medical beyond the initial startup seed round and is currently in the midst of the next round of fundraising to further advance the mission of providing the first natural solution to treat these painful and debilitating spinal fractures.