The technology

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is an end-metabolic product of all cells in all tissues. The human body keeps the tissue levels of CO₂ in a narrow and very well controlled range. Any change of the tissue CO₂ (↑ or ↓) level is considered pathologic, indicating either insufficient oxygen to the tissue (ischemia) or excess oxygen to the tissue (hyperventilation)which both are medical conditions requiring immediate medical intervention, to prevent serious complications.

Alertis is the owner of a unique proprietary technology for detecting the tissue pCO2 level. The tissue pCO₂ level may change due to critical perfusion, respiration or metabolic conditions. The Alertis pCO₂ technology gives basis for a row of products for early detection of either critical local or systemic conditions with high mortality and considerable cost to the health care providers.

Alertis has successfully miniaturized the sensor (1 mm), which allows for tissue measurements of pCO₂, an early and reliable indicator of metabolic changes. Measurements will be real time and on-line displayed on a small portable monitor that follow the patient wherever they are in the hospital, thereby providing early warning of critical changes.


IscAlert™; the first product

The company’s first device, the miniaturized disposable biosensor IscAlert™, provides early warning of ischemia (blood and oxygen deprivation), which is one of the most frequent causes of death in the western world and a common complication of surgery, post-operative care and organ/tissue trauma. Early warning of ischemia allows for early treatment, which may help saving patients' health and lives, and considerable health care expenses.


IscAlert™ offers a number of benefits:

1. It addresses a largely unmet medical need as a user friendly, fast, robust real time monitoring device of ischemia.

2. It fits well into current medical practice by giving improved patient outcome and therefore substantially reduces healthcare costs by lowering the need for e.g. intensive care.

3. Alternative methods for measuring ischemia are indirect, complex, non-specific, difficult to use, costly and slow.


Patents

Alertis Medical has acquired and owns all rights to the technology. The company has a patent portfolio providing solid protection of the technology. Additionally, the miniaturized nature of the sensor, the know-how of the components, assembly and structures used will create major barriers to anyone who will try to develop similar technology. This gives Alertis a unique competitive advantage