Technion-developed Sleep Technology Named to List of Top Ten Medical Innovations for 2010
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
By: Kevin Hattori

The technology behind the outpatient diagnosis of sleep-related breathing disorders first developed at the Technion Israel Institute of Technology is on the Cleveland Clinic Medical Innovation Summit's "Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2010." The winners were announced in Cleveland on Wednesday, October 7.

“The recognition of Itamar-Medical’s WatchPAT technology as an innovative technology is actively transforming the field of ambulatory sleep testing and is consistent with the rapid market adaptation of the WatchPAT,” said Dr. Dov Rubin, President & CEO of Itamar-Medical. “We have been perfecting the technology over the last decade and it is now ‘ready for prime time.’”

Prof. Peretz Lavie

The technology first originated in the Technion's Lloyd Rigler Sleep Apnea Research Laboratory, headed by Prof. Peretz Lavie of the Faculty of Medicine. Prof. Lavie (who recently began his first term as Technion president) together with heart surgeon Prof. Danny Goor, Dr. Giora Yaron and Martin Gerstel founded Itamar-Medical in 1997.  After some development, the company introduced the WatchPAT device targeted at the Ambulatory Sleep Testing market.  It has been granted 40 patents related to the underlying technology and products.

“We are delighted that a technology developed in our laboratory as part of a research project has made such a worldwide impact on diagnostic practices of sleep disorders,” said Prof. Lavie.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, winning entries were nominated and selected according to the following criteria:

- Must have significant potential for short-term clinical impact (either a major improvement in patient benefit or an improved function that enhances healthcare delivery).

- Must have a high probability of success.

- Must be on the market or close to being introduced.

- Must have sufficient data available to support its nomination.

“The unique collaboration between the Technion and Itamar-Medical over the years should serve as a model for both academia and the Med-Tech industry,” said Dr. Yaron. “Revolutionary devices like WatchPAT that can foster large-scale changes in world health require the strong scientific base provided by academia combined with product development, marketing and sales skills of the Med-Tech industry.”

The Technion-Israel Institute of Technology is Israel's leading science and technology university.  Home to the country's winners of the Nobel Prize in science, it commands a worldwide reputation for its pioneering work in nanotechnology, computer science, biotechnology, water-resource management, materials engineering, aerospace and medicine.  The majority of the founders and managers of Israel's high-tech companies are alumni. Based in New York City, the American Technion Society (ATS) is the leading American organization supporting higher education in Israel, with offices around the country.