ColoWrap Awarded Phase I SBIR Grant Award from National Science Foundation

Released: September 14, 2021

Grant will support research and development of novel anti-looping device, based on Company’s existing technology, for low BMI patients undergoing colonoscopy.

ColoWrap, LLC., has been awarded a Phase I National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant for $255,000 to launch a new research and development (R&D) initiative aimed at adapting ColoWrap’s existing anti-looping colonoscopy compression device to a new patient population.

“We’re thrilled to receive this SBIR award from the National Science Foundation,” said James Hathorn, Chief Executive Officer of ColoWrap. “This grant will serve ColoWrap’s mission of helping to create a Zero Harm Endoscopy Environment by allowing us to deliver an anti-looping solution to a broader spectrum of patients. We’re thankful that the NSF believes in the ColoWrap mission and look forward to starting this exciting work.”

ColoWrap, is a single use, non-invasive medical device designed to prevent looping during colonoscopy. Looping occurs in up to 90% of procedures and is the primary cause of patient pain, complications, and failed exams. Additionally, current methods to address looping—manual abdominal pressure and patient repositioning—put endoscopy staff and patients at risk of injury. In a recent survey, 86% of endoscopy nurses responsible for applying manual pressure reported recurrent pain or injury. 25% of these nurses also reported having observed patient harm—including bruising, post-procedural abdominal pain, and in rare cases, splenic injury due to the practice. ColoWrap’s existing device has proven particularly effective at minimizing looping and the need for manual pressure in patients with a high BMI. With the grant funding, the Company intends to develop modifications to its existing device to make it effective for thinner patients.

"The simplicity of ColoWrap may sometimes downplay the science behind its effectiveness. However clinical trials thus far have demonstrated the efficacy as a tool for effective and safe colonoscopy,” said Dr. Anthony Kalloo, Chairman of Medicine at Maimonides Medical Center, Professor Emeritus at Johns Hopkins Medical School, and Advisory Board Chair of ColoWrap. “This grant validates the science behind ColoWrap and will serve to further secure its place as a vital tool in enhancing the practice of colonoscopy."

Colonoscopy remains the gold standard for colorectal cancer screening and prevention. Over 19 million colonoscopies are performed annually in the United States alone. Looping occurs when the colonoscope stretches and distends the colon in response to the physician's efforts to advance the scope forward. Looping occurs most commonly in the sigmoid and transverse colon. Traditionally, endoscopy staff will apply external manual pressure to a patient’s abdomen and/or reposition the patient to correct the loop, or the physician will torque the scope to help advance it. However, these techniques are often ineffective and uncomfortable for patients and can put endoscopy staff and physicians at risk for musculoskeletal injuries.

About the SBIR Program

America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF awards $200 million annually to startups and small businesses, transforming scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. Startups working across almost all areas of science and technology can receive up to $2 million to support research and development (R&D), helping de-risk technology for commercial success. America’s Seed Fund is congressionally mandated through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program. The NSF is an independent federal agency with a budget of about $8.5 billion that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of science and engineering. For more information, visit seedfund.nsf.gov.

About ColoWrap, LLC.

ColoWrap® is an early-stage medical technology Company dedicated to creating a Zero Harm Endoscopy Environment. The Company’s flagship product, the ColoWrap Anti-Looping Colonoscopy Compression Device is the first and only non-invasive device that has been clinically proven to mitigate looping during colonoscopy. Applied to the patient during the exam, the device delivers targeted, adjustable abdominal pressure to minimize sigmoid and transverse looping. In clinical trials, ColoWrap has been shown to shorten procedure time, improve patient comfort, and reduce staff-reported musculoskeletal pain by 85%.