EXCMR Prepares for Clinical Pilot of MRI-Compatible Treadmill

EXCMR, an OSU spinoff, is preparing for a fourth-quarter launch of a four-site clinical test of its MRI-compatible treadmill for heart-stress testing.  The clinical test’s chief goal is to compare the performance of the company’s stress test against competing alternatives and fine-tune the treadmill’s design, plus its installation and servicing processes.

EXCMR’s core technology is based on a non-ferromagnetic treadmill and cardiac data collection system which enables placement of the patient immediately adjacent to an MRI machine during exercise stress.  Because of the powerful magnetic properties of an MRI machine, the technology does not permit co-location of a traditional treadmill in the same room with an MRI machine due to the ferromagnetic parts in a treadmill.

“Launching this pilot is an important milestone for us to show that we can build, service and install these treadmill systems, and also demonstrate their superior clinical value,” said Gary Smith, CEO.

Treadmill exercise stress tests are typically performed using echocardiographic and nuclear imaging processes, but EXCMR says MRIs are more accurate than either of those alternatives (better diagnostic capabilities) and safer than nuclear imaging (no radiation exposure). The EXCMR system allows for MRI compatible treadmill testing.

EXCMR is hoping to obtain U.S. Food and Drug Administration clearance and begin commercializing the treadmill by the end of 2012. To support that commercialization, the company is targeting a $750,000 round of angel investment that it’s looking to close around the end of this year.

For more details, see the story from MedCity News:  http://www.medcitynews.com/2011/10/excmr-readies-clinical-pilot-of-mri-c...