Jeff Korn

Overactive bladder (OAB) affects over 15 million women in the US. The sudden, urgent desire to pass urine greatly limits quality of life. Current treatments are not optimal, requiring frequent, time-consuming office visits, awkward vaginal probes, medications with potential side effects or surgery. Those suffering with OAB often consider the therapies too cumbersome and forgo treatment, opting instead to place limits on their life to accommodate the symptoms. Neuromodulation for OAB involving electrical stimulation of the sacral nerve is a proven and established therapy. However, despite being commercially available for over a decade only a small fraction of indicated patients have been treated. The cost and invasiveness of the surgery are often cited as concerns by prospective recipients. FemPulse has developed a novel, wearable medical device designed to deliver neuromodulation therapy directly to the nerves that regulate bladder function, without the need for surgical implant. The small device is easily placed by the patient herself and controlled with a smartphone app. The company is currently conducting clinical evaluations in the United States.