A local non-opioid solution to relieve pain after musculoskeletal surgery

A local non-opioid solution to relieve pain after musculoskeletal surgery

Why it matters

Surgeries from Orthopedics and Traumatology rank amongst the most painful interventions overall. Millions of musculoskeletal surgeries are performed annually and this number is increasing. Achieving adequate pain relief after musculoskeletal surgery is a major challenge. To date, opioids fulfil a central role in the treatment of postoperative pain, but there are increasing concerns about their use. Toxic side-effects of the systemic use of opioids can lead to insufficient relief of pain, malnutrition, delayed mobilization and unnecessary long hospital stay. Furthermore, opioids can be highly addictive even after relatively short periods of use.

The challenge

The medical community is searching for alternatives to opioids. In recent years the use of local anaesthetic techniques has increased with promising results. However, for many types of musculoskeletal surgeries no effective alternatives to opioids are available yet.

Periosteum

The most intense pain after musculoskeletal surgery is caused by local damage to the highly pain-sensitive periosteum, a thin nerve-rich layer surrounding each bone in the body.

 

Local

Similar to dental procedures which are often performed completely painless by virtue of local anaesthetics, periosteal pain may also be controlled locally.

 

Anaesthetic

The challenge with pain relief for musculoskeletal surgery is that anaesthetics must be delivered and stay precisely at the damaged periosteum in order to locally block pain.

 

The challenge

The medical community is searching for alternatives to opioids. In recent years the use of local anaesthetic techniques has increased with promising results. However, for many types of musculoskeletal surgeries no effective alternatives to opioids are available yet.

Periosteum

The most intense pain after musculoskeletal surgery is caused by local damage to the highly pain-sensitive periosteum, a thin nerve-rich layer surrounding each bone in the body.

 

Local

Similar to dental procedures which are often performed completely painless by virtue of local anaesthetics, periosteal pain may also be controlled locally.

 

Anaesthetic

The challenge with pain relief for musculoskeletal surgery is that anaesthetics must be delivered and stay precisely at the damaged periosteum in order to locally block pain.

 

The solution

SentryX is developing a hydrogel combined with an approved anaesthetic. This hydrogel is inserted at the surgical site and covers the damaged periosteum, without interrupting the routine surgical workflow. Once in place, the hydrogel gradually releases the anaesthetic on the periosteum, and completely degrades afterwards.

Our innovation is being developed to better combat postoperative pain, to speed up hospital discharge and recovery and help prevent dependence on opioids in the critical rehabilitation phase.

Status

Collaboration

SentryX collaborates with the University Medical Center Utrecht and the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Utrecht University.

Patents

Our technology has been filed in multiple patents.

Funding

We secured our seed-funding and are well-positioned for the next stages.

Pre-clinical trials

Pre-clinical trials have started.

Collaboration

SentryX collaborates with the University Medical Center Utrecht and the Faculty of Pharmacy of the Utrecht University.

Patents

Our technology has been filed in multiple patents.

Funding

We secured our seed-funding and are well-positioned for the next stages.

Pre-clinical trials

Pre-clinical trials have started.

Our company

Founders

Jorrit-Jan Verlaan
Jorrit-Jan Verlaan
Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer
Jorrit-Jan (JJ) Verlaan is a spine surgeon from the University Medical Center Utrecht with a special interest in improving clinical outcome by tailoring treatment through a multidisciplinary approach. With his team, he developed innovative surgical and non-surgical procedures that have been published and adopted worldwide for the benefit of, especially, cancer patients. Dr. Verlaan is past chairman of the Research and Innovation Committee of the Dutch Orthopedic Association and currently serves as director of the residency program and is also a member of the AO Spine Tumor Knowledge Forum.
Bas Oosterman
Bas Oosterman
Co-founder and CEO
Bas Oosterman has gained a multi-disciplinary background at various innovative companies. Before starting SentryX he served as Chief Operating Officer of a Clinical Research Organisation and worked for Philips Electronics in various positions. He studied Econometrics, received his PhD degree in Management and Organization, and is a (six sigma) Black Belt. His PhD thesis dealt with speeding up the time-to-market of new product innovation projects.

Scientific advisors

Marianna Tryfonidou
Marianna Tryfonidou
Scientific advisor
Marianna Tryfonidou is professor in regenerative orthopedics at the Utrecht University. She is a certified veterinary surgeon for companion animals and has expertise in translational research. She coordinates the iPSpine consortium that was recently awarded €15 million under the Horizon 2020 program developing an advanced therapy for chronic low back pain.
Raymond Schiffelers
Raymond Schiffelers
Scientific advisor
Raymond Schiffelers is professor of Nanomedicine at the UMC Utrecht. He is specialized in drug delivery and drug targeting. Currently he coordinates two EU H2020 projects B-Smart & Expert and participates in several EU and national projects on nanomedicine.
Jos Malda
Jos Malda
Scientific advisor
Professor Jos Malda is Head of Research at the Department of Orthopaedics, University Medical Center Utrecht and at the Department of Equine Sciences, University of Utrecht. He also leads the Utrecht Biofabrication Facility.

Advisors

Alex Vaccaro
Alex Vaccaro
Advisor
Dr. Vaccaro has served as the president of the Rothman Orthopedic Institute in Philadelphia since 2014, and is professor and chairman in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, and professor of Neurosurgery at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia, USA. He is the president-elect of the Cervical Spine Research Society 2019. Dr. Vaccaro also serves as co-director of the spine surgery residency/fellowship program at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Delaware Valley where he instructs current residents and fellows in the diagnosis and treatment of various spinal problems and disorders.
Koen de Heus
Koen de Heus
Advisor
Koen de Heus is CEO and shareholding family member of the Royal De Heus Group, an international company with a global top-15 position in the animal nutrition industry. Currently, De Heus has operating activities in 18 countries with a total revenue of 3 billion Euro and 6000 employees. Additionally, De Heus has considerable interests in companies in the value chain to support animal nutrition activities and promote animal health.
Jeroen de Haas
Jeroen de Haas
Advisor
Jeroen de Haas is former CEO of sustainable energy company ENECO. De Haas holds several supervisory and advisory roles including chairman of the supervisory board of Royal Wagenborg, member of the supervisory board of Port of Amsterdam, chairman of the board of NPM Energy, and member in the supervisory board of RegMed XB. He is partner in private equity company Prorsum Capital in Zurich. Prorsum invests in three areas of the sustainable development goals: water, mobility, and energy. De Haas focuses in all his activities on the triangle sustainability-innovation-digitization.

Dr. Vaccaro has served as the president of the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute since 2014, and is the Richard H. Rothman Professor and Chairman in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, and Professor of Neurosurgery at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

He is the President-elect of Cervical Spine Research Society (CSRS), 2019. He was the recipient of the Leon Wiltse award given for excellence in leadership and clinical research for spine care by the North American Spine Society (NASS) and is the past President of the American Spinal Injury Association and the Association for Collaborative Spine Research.

He has over 730 peer reviewed and 200 non-peer reviewed publications.  He has published over 346 book chapters and is the editor of over 55 textbooks and co-editor of OKU-Spine I and editor of OKU-8.  Dr. Vaccaro also serves as Co-Director of the Regional Spinal Cord Injury Center of the Delaware Valley and  Co-Director of Spine Surgery and the Spine Fellowship program at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where he instructs current fellows and residents in the diagnosis and treatment of various spinal problems and disorders.

 

Raymond Schiffelers is professor of Nano Medicine at the faculty Clinical Chemistry and Hematology at the UMC Utrecht. He is specialized in drug delivery and drug targeting. Currently he coordinates the H2020 B-Smart program and participates in several EU and national projects on nano-medicine.

 

Professor Jos Malda is Head of Research at the Department of Orthopaedics, University Medical Center Utrecht and the Department of Equine Sciences, University of Utrecht. He also leads the Utrecht Biofabrication Facility. He is a long-standing Board member of the International Cartilage Repair Society and President of the International Society for Biofabrication.

 

Marianna Tryfonidou is professor of the Orthopaedics section of the department of Clinical Sciences of Companion Animals.

She is a specialist veterinary surgeon for companion animals and researcher into tissue regeneration. She coordinates theiPSpineproject that was recently awarded €15 million under the Horizon 2020 programme, towards researching a solution for chronic lower back pain.

 

Bas Oosterman is co-founder and CEO of SentryX.

Before he served as Chief Operating Officer of Julius Clinical and worked for Philips Electronics in various positions. He studied econometrics, received his PhD degree in Management and Organization, and is a (six sigma) Black Belt. His PhD thesis dealt with speeding up the time-to-market of new product innovation projects.

 

Jorrit-Jan Verlaan is co-founder and CTO/CMO of SentryX.

Sinds 2010 is dr. Verlaan werkzaam als orthopedisch chirurg in het UMC Utrecht. In hetzelfde centrum is hij (cum laude) gepromoveerd en opgeleid. Afwijkingen van de wervelkolom op basis van ongevallen, stofwisselingsziekten en, voornamelijk, oncologische aandoeningen behoren tot zijn terrein. Dr. Verlaan is actief in basale en toegepaste wetenschap en begeleidt meerdere PhD-studenten. Hij is (co-)auteur van meer dan 75 internationale peer-reviewed artikelen en vijftien hoofdstukken in internationale vakboeken. In de functie van opleider draagt hij zorg voor de ontwikkeling van assistenten in opleiding tot orthopedisch chirurg.