Apnex Medical, Inc. Overview

Apnex Medical, Inc. is a private company located in St. Paul, Minnesota. The company is developing a proprietary active implantable medical device for the treatment of moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Apnex Medical's senior management and technical team have many years of experience developing and commercializing implantable medical devices.

Moderate-to-severe OSA affects about 12 million people in the United States and about 500,000 people in Australia. OSA causes fragmented sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness, resulting in an increased risk in accidents and lost productivity. OSA is also associated with an increased risk in the following conditions: stroke; high blood pressure; coronary artery disease; heart failure; and type 2 diabetes. Recent studies have also confirmed that OSA is associated with an increased risk of death. Current OSA treatments are not always successful and are often not well tolerated. The Apnex device is being designed to provide an alternative treatment for OSA that addresses these problems.

The Apnex Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation (HGNS) therapy is a fully implanted medical device that activates muscles of the upper airway to prevent the tongue from blocking the airway during sleep, working in harmony with the body's natural physiology. It is fully automatic and can be implanted in a simple surgical procedure by an ear, nose and throat (ENT) physician, also called an otolaryngologist. After implantation, a sleep physician can program the device to meet the particular needs of the patient. The device automatically turns on when the patient is sleeping, and turns off when the patient is awake.