Nordic Life Science 1
“SECURE A STRONG TEAM WITH COMPLEMENTARY CAPABILI
TIES AND THE RIGHT TEAM-ORIENTED “PROBLEM SOLVING” MINDSETS.” TRUDE TINGVOLL respiratory movement interfered with their application of laser navigation during medical procedures and that there were no technologies available to continuously measure respiratory movement. In response, they invented an ultrasound-based continuous-monitoring technology and saw the opportunity to apply this invention in respiratory medicine, describes Trude Tingvoll, CEO, Respinor. “NeoRad’s shareholders then established Respinor as a spin-off. The company identified a huge unmet medical need in respiratory medicine: to liberate patients from mechanical ventilation (MV) at the right time.” The company is now developing a novel, non-invasive medical device, RESPINOR Diaphragm Excursion Technology (DXT), for continuous diaphragm monitoring, with potential applications towards many aspects of critical care and respiratory medicine. “DXT is the first ultrasound-based sensor that can stick to the skin to provide continuous monitoring of our main breathing muscle, the diaphragm, providing information to improve clinical decision-making for critically ill patients,” says Tingvoll. “We are targeting MV and specifically the diaphragm function to guide physicians in the decision to wean patients from MV at the right time. However, DXT also measures respiratory rate, one of the most predictive and earliest vital signs that signal change in patients’ clinical status. An efficient and accurate method of monitoring respiratory rate is still missing in hospital general wards and triage, so DXT has the potential to be used for respiratory monitoring in all hospital wards. Therefore, we believe DXT will become the next vital sign for assessing the work of breathing.” We asked Trude Tingvoll about what lessons she has learnt from the start-up process and about her to advice other entrepreneurs. Firstly, she says, beyond having a great product or idea that solves a medical problem, it is essential to have buy-in from key stakeholders. “As a developer, you might not identify all the elements that could be a barrier to the implementation of your technology at the hospital.” Her second piece of advice is that it is important to engage with your key opinion leaders (KOLs) or the Trude Tingvoll, CEO, Respinor end-users at an early stage. “We have recently finalized feasibility studies in France, Italy, and Norway, confirming proof of principle and proof of concept, where we received valuable insights during the process. Based on our initial learning, we redefined the protocol together with the clinical investigators to ensure that we meet their needs. In addition, as end-users the KOLs have provided vital insights for our technology development to ensure that DXT is practical in a busy ICU environment. As a developer, you might not identify all the elements that could be a barrier to the implementation of your technology at the hospital,” she says. Last but not least, Tingvoll advises securing a strong team with complementary capabilities and the right team-oriented “problem solving” mindsets to challenge the status quo and thrive with change management. “It is crucial to succeeding in a startup environment. As a leader, I believe the best way to succeed is to empower those around you to succeed,” she says. NLS NORDICLIFESCIENCE.ORG 75