COMPANY OVERVIEW
NeuroVista Corporation is a medical device company pioneering new technologies for the management and treatment of epilepsy, a condition that affects roughly 3 million people in the United States. The defining characteristic of epilepsy is recurrent seizures that strike without warning. Symptoms may range from brief suspension of awareness, to loss of consciousness, to violent convulsions. Unlike other neurological conditions, such as stroke or Alzheimer’s disease which tend to develop later in life, epilepsy often affects people in the prime of their lives, with the majority between 15 and 64 years of age.
Despite advancements in antiepileptic medications, an estimated 25% of people with epilepsy continue to experience seizures even when under the best medical care. The constant fear and uncertainty as to when the next seizure is going to strike often exacts a tremendous toll on the quality of life for patients and their families. People with uncontrolled seizures incur frequent injuries and are at an elevated risk of death. They are restricted from driving automobiles and are unable to safely participate in many recreational activities. Activities of daily living such as bathing or cooking are dangerous. Fear of seizures in public settings often leads to isolation and limits vocational opportunities. And risk of death from an unwitnessed and unmanaged seizure poses a significant psychological burden for patients and their caregivers.
Clearly there is a need for a solution that keeps patients informed about when seizures are likely to strike and reliably alerts caregivers when seizures do strike. NeuroVista is engaged in developing an innovative Epilepsy Management System to empower both patients and caregivers with information that will make living with uncontrolled seizures more manageable. In addition, quantitative seizure data collected by the system provides physicians with the information they need for a more informed use of pharmacology. In total, the NeuroVista Epilepsy Management System provides critical information that is potentially life-saving, will significantly impact the quality of life for patients and their caregivers, and will enable a more informed use of pharmacology for controlling seizures.
NeuroVista is led by an experienced management team in close collaboration with nationally recognized clinical thought-leaders and investigators. The Company is emerging as a leading innovator in the rapidly growing field of implantable neurotechnology with a large portfolio of issued patents and pending patent applications. NeuroVista closed its most recent equity financing in August of 2010 and is funded by a top-tier group of venture investors including Advanced Technology Ventures, Delphi Ventures, Foundation Medical Partners, and GBS Venture Partners. NeuroVista is headquartered in downtown Seattle, Washington.
EPILEPSY QUICK FACTS
- An estimated 3 million people in the United States have epilepsy - more than Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis and Lou Gehrig's disease combined.1
- Epilepsy can develop in any person at any age, but it often affects people throughout the prime of their lives, with the majority between 15 and 64 years of age.1
- 10% of the U.S. population will experience a seizure in their lifetime.1
- An estimated 25% of people with epilepsy continue to have seizures despite the best medical treatment. 1
- SUDEP is the sudden, unexpected death of someone with epilepsy, but who was otherwise healthy, and for whom no other cause of death can be found. SUDEP is estimated to account for up to 18% of all deaths in patients with epilepsy. 1
- The defining characteristic of epilepsy is recurrent seizures that strike without warning.3
- Epilepsy may be related to a brain injury or an inherited genetic disorder often appearing in childhood, but approximately 70% of the time the cause is unknown.4
- Of those whose epilepsy is well controlled by medication, they must often cope with significant and debilitating side effects.1
- The annual direct and indirect cost attributable to epilepsy in the United States is estimated to be $12.5 billion, and 80% of this is accounted for by patients whose seizures are not adequately controlled by antiepileptic drugs (AEDs).1
- Epilepsy is perfectly compatible with a normal, happy, and full life.6
- The Epilepsy Foundation Website: http://www.efa.org
- Quality of Life in Epilepsy: Beyond Seizure Count in Assessment and Treatment.
- Epilepsy a Practical Guide
- Epilepsy and Quality of Life
- Trileptal website: http://www.trileptal.com
- A person living with epilepsy