We are proud that four world-renowned spine surgeons will take a seat in our newly installed Specialist Advisory Board.
A very warm welcome to Michael Yang (University of Calgary, Canada), Thomas Blattert (Klinikum Ingolstadt, Germany), Christian Mazel (Montsouris Mutualiste Institut, Paris, France), and Daniel Sciubba (Northwell Health, New York, USA).
At SentryX we work on a solution for a persisting clinical problem: the severe pain patients experience in the days after spine fixation surgery.
All decisions we make in our company should serve the ultimate goal of getting our solution into the hands of the specialists who see and treat these patients every day.
We are therefore delighted that these four leading spine surgeons will share their experience and advice with us on a structural and ongoing basis.
Michael, Thomas, Christian, and Daniel. Your knowledge and experience will make a real difference for patients worldwide!

November 2025 - SentryX welcomes four world-renowned spine surgeons to its Specialist Advisory Board

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We’re proud to share that SentryX was awarded second place at the EuroSpine Best National Lectures Award 2024, representing Switzerland as the Best Abstract from last year’s Swiss Spine Society meeting.
The annual European Spine Societies Award brings together the top national lectures from spine societies across Europe, showcasing cutting-edge research and innovation in spine care.
Dr. Hein Jonkman presented SentryX’s work on implantable anesthetics for postoperative pain management, demonstrating the potential to reduce opioid use and accelerate recovery following spine surgery.
As a Dutch company, we were delighted to see our colleagues from the Netherlands take the grand prize. Congratulations to all other finalists for their outstanding contributions to advancing spine surgery.

October 2025 - SentryX proud runner-up at EuroSpine Best National Lectures Award

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We are thrilled to announce our latest publication in Nature Scientific Reports, sharing the pre-clinical evidence behind SentryX’s clinical-stage implantable anesthetic platform.
The goal of a local anesthetic is simple: keep the drug local for a long time, while keeping the systemic exposure well within the safety limits. 
This study confirms that balance: our hydrogel maintained strong and sustained local release, while systemic exposure was about one-third of that seen with conventional injections, even at higher doses. Importantly, no safety issues or tissue reactions were observed.
Together, these results clearly demonstrate that our sustained-release hydrogel delivered prolonged, safe, and effective local anesthesia, while keeping systemic exposure reassuringly low.
We extend our sincere thanks to all co-authors and collaborators whose expertise and contributions made this work possible.
Read the full article here: <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-17790-9"></a><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-17790-9">https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-17790-9</a>

September 2025 – New Publication in Nature Scientific Reports

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On Friday May 23, the independent Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSBM) reviewed the safety data of the 11 participants of our phase 1b study, including 1-year follow up safety data. The board, comprising Prof. Christian Mazel (orthopaedic spine surgeon), Dr. Leon Timmerman (anesthesiologist and pain specialist), and Prof. Theo Stijnen (biostatistician and chair), did not identify any safety concerns and endorsed the initiation of a subsequent randomized trial.


With this encouraging outcome, SentryX has successfully completed the phase 1b study. The results further validate the safety profile of our implantable anesthetic platform and mark an important step forward as we prepare for the next phase of clinical development.
A heartfelt thank you to all participants, investigators, and partners involved in this study. Your dedication, collaboration, and trust have made this milestone possible.

June 2025 – Green Light to Continue BR-003 Clinical Development, Concludes Independent Data Safety Monitoring Board Review

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Last week, SentryX presented its Phase 1b clinical results at Global Spine Congress 2025 in Rio de Janeiro. Our colleague Hein Jonkman delivered a well-received presentation, providing an update on our Phase 1b trial by presenting the results of an independently verified statistical model.
The analysis, comparing outcomes from 11 treated patients to an observational cohort of 41, showed a 42% reduction in opioid use and a 49% decrease in reported pain scores at 72 hours following spine surgery. Importantly, a clinically meaningful effect size was already observed within the first 24 hours, supporting the potential to facilitate early discharge.
We’re grateful to all attendees who engaged with the data and contributed to the discussion. This milestone reflects our ongoing commitment to advancing safer, more effective pain management after spine surgery.

June 2025 - Global Spine Congress 2025: SentryX Shares New Clinical Data

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We’re excited to share that two of our scientific studies, each exploring different aspects of our non-opioid implantable anesthetics for postoperative pain relief in spine surgery, were published ahead of print: 

In Regional Anesthesia &amp; Pain Medicine, first-in-human safety results demonstrated a 13x systemic safety margin with no serious adverse events linked to our implantable anesthetics.1
In the preceding paper in the International Journal of Pharmaceutics, our preclinical sheep study showed sustained high local concentrations of bupivacaine at the surgical site, while systemic levels remained several orders of magnitute lower, supporting a strong and favorable risk-benefit profile.2
Together, these studies highlight our commitment to evidence-based innovation, developing solutions that are not only novel, but also grounded in rigorous science and designed to meet real clinical needs. 

<ol><li><a href="https://rapm-bmj-com.utrechtuniversity.idm.oclc.org/content/early/2025/05/20/rapm-2025-106551.long" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jonkman H, van Tol FR, Bruins S, Steverink JG, Benneker LM, Geuze R, de Baat P, Rovers M, Oosterman BJ, Verlaan JJ. Novel implantable anesthetic for spine fixation surgery: phase Ib safety results of a sustained-release formulation of bupivacaine. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2025 May 20:rapm-2025-106551. doi: 10.1136/rapm-2025-106551. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40393774.</a></li><li><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037851732500568X?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037851732500568X?via%3Dihub" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Steverink JG, van Tol FR, Bruins S, Amponsah KB, Marvela J, Smorenburg AJ, Jonkman HR, Oosterman BJ, van Dijk MR, Malda J, Piluso S, Verlaan JJ. Testing a new sustained-release local anesthetic formulation specifically designed for spine surgery in a sheep model. Int J Pharm. 2025 May 17:125731. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2025.125731. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40389071.</a></li></ol>

May 2025 - Two Peer-Reviewed Publications in One Week

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SentryX will be presenting its first clinical results at the upcoming Global Spine Congress in Rio de Janeiro. This international event brings together the global experts in spine surgery. Our presentation, covering the safety and efficacy results of our Phase Ib trial, will take place on Thursday, May 29th, at 14.30h (Room 2). We look forward to discussing with the audience how the observed reductions in pain and opioid use may help improve the patient journey after spine surgery.
For more details, please visit the <a href="https://www.globalspinecongress.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Global Spine Congress website</a>.

May 2025 - SentryX to Present First Clinical Results at Global Spine Congress 2025

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Utrecht, The Netherlands - SentryX, a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing implantable, sustained-release anesthetics for postoperative pain relief in spine surgery, today announced the installment of its Supervisory Board. This milestone reflects the company’s transition toward late-stage clinical development and its commitment to advancing innovative pain management solutions that reduce opioid use and improve surgical recovery outcomes.
The newly appointed Supervisory Board brings together leaders with deep expertise in medtech entrepreneurship, corporate finance, and long-term value creation. The board will play a strategic role in guiding SentryX as it prepares for its pivotal Phase 3 trial and future regulatory submissions.
Jan Sigger
Jan Sigger is a seasoned business executive and serial entrepreneur with extensive experience in the medical technology and pharmaceutical industry. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board at Solstice Pharmaceuticals and holds supervisory board positions at Sirius Medical and OCON. Previously, he was Co-Founder and CEO of Quirem Medical, where he led the company from inception through commercialization and eventual acquisition by Terumo Corporation. Prior to that, he played a pivotal role as Chief Operations &amp; Financial Officer at Nucletron, contributing to its successful turnaround and sale to Elekta AB. With a strong track record in M&amp;A, strategic execution, and innovation-driven growth, Jan brings deep industry insight and international leadership experience.
Nadine Maalouf
Nadine Maalouf is a seasoned executive with a long standing experience in Life Sciences and Healthcare. Before joining Van Lanschot Kempen in 2018, Nadine has held several M&amp;A, BD, Sales and Marketing positions in pharma. Her core responsibility at Van Lanschot Kempen is to assist Life Sciences companies to fulfill their ambitions in M&amp;A and Equity Capital Markets transactions. Nadine is committed to raise awareness about the high level of innovation within the European biotech space and favor deal-making through connecting emerging life sciences companies with key stakeholders of the investment community. Nadine is President of the Benelux Health Association and board member of the Nordic Pharma Licensing Group.
Koen de Heus
Koen de Heus is an investor and chairman of the family business Royal De Heus Group. Royal De Heus is an international company with a global top-10 position in the animal nutrition industry, with substantial positions in Europe, Asia and Afrika. Currently, De Heus has operating activities in more than 20 countries with a total revenue of 6 billion Euro and 12.000 employees. Additionally, Royal De Heus has considerable interests in companies in the value chain to support the animal nutrition activities and promote animal health.
“We are honored to welcome Jan, Nadine, and Koen to our Supervisory Board,” said Bas Oosterman, CEO and Co-Founder of SentryX. “Their combined experience across clinical innovation, investment strategy, and global business leadership will be instrumental as we work toward bringing our implantable anesthetic platform to patients worldwide. Their guidance will help us navigate the final clinical stages and prepare for market entry with a strong foundation.”
The formation of the Supervisory Board marks another important step in SentryX’s evolution from a pioneering startup to a late clinical-stage company, with a first-in-class solution that has already demonstrated significant reductions in pain and opioid use in early trials.

May 2025 - SentryX Announces Formation of Supervisory Board to Support Late-Stage Growth

SentryX will be attending BioEquity Europe 2025. 
Our CEO, Bas Oosterman, together with VP Business Development, Floris van Tol, are looking forward to connect with industry partners and share our latest developments on implantable anesthetics. We are excited to discuss our roadmap for bringing this technology to patients. 
 If you are around and want to connect, please don’t hesitate to reach out!<figure><iframe style="width:500px;height:281px;" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CdpxURwubMM" frameborder="0"></iframe></figure>

SentryX will be attending BioEquity Europe 2025.

April 2025 – SentryX to Attend BioEquity Europe 2025

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Thank you AAOS OrthoPitch!

While we didn’t take home the win, we’re proud to have been one of the four finalists at the #OrthoPitch competition during #AAOS2025. It was an incredible opportunity to showcase our non-opioid pain solution for spine surgery on such a global stage.

A heartfelt congratulations to VISIE Inc. on winning the competition - well deserved!
As part of the OrthoPitch program, our CMO JJ Verlaan shared our vision in this interview: <a href="https://blog.smarttrak.com/sentryx-implantable-anesthetic-for-spine-surgery">https://blog.smarttrak.com/sen...</a>






Many thanks to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons for hosting and supporting innovation in this field.

SentryX proud to have been one of the four finalists for the annual AAOS OrthoPitch

March 2025 – Proud Finalist at AAOS OrthoPitch

Ortho Pitch Finalists Sentry X

We are thrilled to share that SentryX has been selected as one of the four finalists in the prestigious OrthoPitch competition at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Annual Meeting, world’s largest meeting of orthopedic surgeons, taking place from March 10–14, 2025, in San Diego, CA. This event shines a spotlight on groundbreaking innovations aiming to transform the field of orthopedics.
Being named a finalist highlights our dedication to improving postoperative pain management for major surgeries with our innovative, non-opioid solutions. We are eager to showcase our advancements to industry leaders and healthcare professionals at this remarkable gathering.
For more information about the event, visit the <a href="https://www.aaos.org/annual/exhibit-sponsor/orthopitch/" title="https://www.aaos.org/annual/exhibit-sponsor/orthopitch/">AAOS OrthoPitch website</a>.
Stay tuned as we gear up for this exciting milestone!

December 2024 - SentryX Selected as Finalist for AAOS OrthoPitch Competition

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We are excited to share that SentryX's recent study on implantable anesthetics for spine surgery, demonstrating excellent safety and exploratory efficacy, was featured on RTL Nieuws.
We extend our deepest gratitude to the patients for their trust and to the dedicated hospital team for their support. Together, we are reducing pain and opioid reliance, moving towards accessible and affordable surgical care.
For more details, view the full segment here: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.rtl.nl/nieuws/uitzendingen/video/4b296666-6f28-47c6-bb08-b46b73b57c90/aflevering-202" rel="noreferrer noopener">RTL Nieuws</a>.

July 2024 - SentryX Featured on RTL Nieuws

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SentryX is thrilled to announce the first clinical results for BR-003, its lead implantable anesthetic designed for spine fixation surgery. In an open-label study in two hospitals in Switzerland and the Netherlands, 11 patients were treated with BR-003 during elective spine fixation procedures. Afterwards, they were closely monitored to assess safety. Efficacy was explored by comparing pain and opioid use to recent observational data from the same hospitals, where patients underwent similar procedures but without BR-003.
No safety concerns arose for BR-003 in the first six weeks after surgery. No serious adverse events were attributed to BR-003, and systemic bupivacaine levels remained ten times below known safety limits. In the first three days after surgery, patients with BR-003 required 52% less opioids and reported 36% lower pain scores than patients without BR-003. Discharge criteria for pain and opioids were reached after one day. Patient-reported satisfaction with pain treatments in the first three days was 9.1/10.
Dr. Ruth Geuze, orthopedic surgeon and the principal investigator at the Dutch hospital, noted: “Remarkably, patients with BR-003 had a good first night of sleep and were able to start moving around on the first day after surgery, which are key elements of ‘enhanced recovery after surgery’ programs.”
Pain management after surgery has a tremendous impact on patients’ health and well-being in the short and long term, scientific evidence shows. Currently, over 1 million spine fixation surgeries take place each year in Europe and the US, a number which is expected to double in the next 10 years. After surgery, patients remain in the hospital for 3.7 days, on average. Readmission rates, the risk of chronic postsurgical pain, and the risk of opioid addiction all strongly relate to pain and opioid use in the first few days. Safer, better pain treatments are urgently needed to ensure that these procedures remain accessible and affordable in the coming decade.
"For certain patients with severe back problems, spine fixation surgery can restore mobility and substantially improve quality of life”, says dr. JJ Verlaan, UMC Utrecht orthopedic surgeon and co-founder of SentryX. “However, the intense pain and opioid-related side-effects after surgery put a major strain on patients and our healthcare system as well. In five years from now, we want to have a product available that can help millions of patients facing acute pain after spine surgery. With our first clinical results, we are confident that we are on the right track.”
The Phase Ib study is still ongoing and monitored by a data safety monitoring board until all patients have been followed for 1 year. The results above may change after final data verification. BR-003 is still in development and is only available in a clinical trial setting. The SentryX team wants to thank the patients and hospital staff for their participation, as well as the many others whose efforts and contributions were invaluable to the success of the first clinical study. The next step will be a multi-center, Phase III, double-blind, randomized controlled trial to confirm the findings and assess the impact of BR-003 opioid use, pain, and early recovery after spine fixation surgery.

SentryX is thrilled to announce the first clinical results for BR-003, its lead implantable anesthetic designed for spine fixation surgery.

June 2024 - Promising Results in First-in-Human Clinical Trial to Reduce Opioid use and Pain after Spine Fixation Surgery

SentryX welcomes two experienced professionals as the newest members of its CMC team. Catarina Leirós (Portugal) joined as Manager Manufacturing, leading our team in the production and scale-up of ready-to-use raw materials. She has a background in Biomedical Engineering and brings extensive experience from both larger and smaller sized pharmaceutical companies. 
Oktavia Hendrawati (Indonesia) joined as Quality Assurance Manager, a new role in our growing company. She holds a PhD in Pharmaceutical Science and brings extensive professional and academic experience, with deep expertise in formulation, analytical chemistry, regulatory affairs, pharmacovigilance, and quality assurance. 
With the addition of both Catarina and Oktavia, we continue to enhance our team’s capabilities and diversity. We are super happy to have them on board and appreciate how seamlessly they integrate into our X-team.

SentryX welcomes two experienced professionals as the newest members of its CMC team

June 2024 - SentryX continues to expand its team capabilities by hiring two seasoned professionals in Chemical, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC)

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We just got back from an incredible week in San Francisco, participating in the European Innovation Council’s (EIC) USA Soft-Landing Program for Health &amp; Life Sciences. This experience provided us with valuable insights and connections crucial for our expansion into the US market.
Throughout the week, we engaged in workshops and investor events at INSEAD, Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center, Stanford Medicine, the Commonwealth Club, and the Bay Area Council. These interactions broadened our understanding of the US market and strengthened our confidence in making a successful entry. One of the highlights was meeting the 14 other innovative European startups, creating a supportive network we greatly value.
We extend our thanks to the EIC and all participants for this exceptional experience. Stay tuned for more updates as we leverage these insights for our growth and success.

May 2024 - Reflecting on an Inspiring Week at the EIC USA Soft-Landing Program

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SentryX is excited to announce its participation in the European Innovation Council’s (EIC) upcoming USA Soft-landing Program. Together with some of the most promising EIC life sciences companies, SentryX will enjoy six weeks of coaching and support followed by one week of being immersed in the health and life sciences ecosystem of San Francisco and Silicon Valley, starting on May 19th: <a href="https://eic.eismea.eu/community/stories/eu-companies-have-immersive-experience-us-market-thanks-eic-usa-soft-landing-programme">https://eic.eismea.eu/community/stories/eu-companies-have-immersive-experience-us-market-thanks-eic-usa-soft-landing-programme</a>. 
The USA Soft Landing Program could be an important step for SentryX’s implantable anesthetics. The company will be connecting with leading US healthcare innovators, research institutes, and investors who can help us on our mission to keep an ageing population mobile through musculoskeletal surgery without the detriments of pain and opioids.

April 2024 - SentryX Selected for EIC’s ‘USA Soft-Landing Program for Health & Life Sciences’

Online patient reviews

These days, the majority of patients searches for online information when selecting their healthcare provider. More than ever, surgeons and hospitals are committed to increasing patient satisfaction and the perceived quality of care. Patient experiences will increasingly guide the selection of surgical systems and complementary pain treatments used in daily clinical practice.
SentryX aims to radically improve patient experiences after major surgery. These are now dominated by pain and opioid use, which limit movement and recovery and come with many unwanted side-effects. In the coming years, SentryX will collect a wealth of data on the added value of better pain treatment for patients and their caregivers. To this end, we are collaborating with the Medical Innovation and Technology Group at the RadboudUMC in Nijmegen, a leading center in early Health Technology Assessment (HTA). As part of his PhD thesis, Hein Jonkman studies the impact of pain management on early mobilization and recovery, costs, and long-term outcomes such as opioid addiction and chronic postsurgical pain. Collecting this data as soon as possible will enable the early adoption of surgical innovations that benefit patient experiences the most.

April 2024 - Patient Experiences Are Driving Innovation in Pain Management

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SentryX is proud to welcome Hans Schikan, as investor and informal strategic advisor. Hans is a leading expert in the biopharmaceutical sector and brings over 30 years of development, commercial, and leadership experience. Hans currently serves on several boards. He is Top Team member for the Dutch Topsector for Life Sciences &amp; Health and a mentor for start-up companies with the Termeer Foundation.
Hans shared: "Innovations in spine surgery have greatly improved surgical techniques over the years. The time is now to shift our attention and improve the patient journey with enhanced recovery and quicker hospital discharge. SentryX has come up with a transformative solution that, I believe, may lead the way and I very much look forward to supporting the team to help them redefine patient care after surgery.”
SentryX is thrilled to have Hans Schikan aboard. He joins a group of informal advisors, including world-renowned leader in spine surgery, Dr Alex Vaccaro of Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, USA.
Welcome to SentryX, Hans!

SentryX is proud to welcome Hans Schikan, as investor and informal strategic advisor. Hans is a leading expert in the biopharmaceutical sector and brings over 30 years of development, commercial, and leadership experience.

January 2024 - Hans Schikan Joins SentryX as an Informal Advisor

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We are excited to share that Anne Hoogstraten has been appointed as our first Chief People Officer. SentryX is moving fast, and we are serious about making the journey a sustainable one. As our talented workforce is key to our long-term success, we have decided to invest in this critical role first. From her new position, Anne will work with the entire team to scale-up and professionalize the internal organization, making SentryX an even better place to work. Today, tomorrow, and in the coming years.
Anne is highly experienced in organizational change and leadership development. She has been a change consultant in these areas for over twenty years and served as a trusted advisor to many client organizations. In addition, she has successfully led a significant part of Korn Ferry Advisory in the Netherlands. Anne: “I am excited to join SentryX, with its focus on bringing to life an innovative solution for the treatment of acute pain after surgery. It is energizing to become part of a team where I sense that people thrive on making it happen together. I look forward to helping the company on its growth journey while cultivating its diverse talent and purpose-driven culture."
Anne is Dutch and holds a Msc. in Business Administration (Management &amp; Organization) from the Rijksuniversiteit Groningen.

December 2023 - Anne Hoogstraten joins SentryX as Chief People Officer

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We are thrilled to announce that following thorough review, the independent Data Safety and Monitoring Board (DSMB) has recommended to continue the inclusion of patients undergoing minimally invasive spine fixation surgery (MISS) in the Phase 1b clinical trial. The decision was based on an extensive data review for the three patients of the first cohort that underwent single-level spine fixation surgery with four co-implanted BR-003 rings. After the positive advice, three patients in the second cohort will undergo two-level MISS with six co-implanted BR-003 rings. For open spine fixation procedures, the first cohort of three patients is still ongoing. SentryX would like to thank everyone involved in this important and exciting trial.

We are thrilled to announce that following thorough review, the independent Data Safety and Monitoring Board (DSMB) has recommended to continue the inclusion of patients undergoing minimally invasive spine fixation surgery (MISS) in the Phase 1b clinical trial.

September 2023 – Green light to start the second cohort of SentryX’s First-in-Human Trial

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SentryX is happy to share that the first patient has been treated with its implantable anesthetic for spine surgery, BR-003. This event stands as a major landmark in SentryX’s first-in-human trial. A special thanks to the Elisabeth Tweesteden Hospital in Tilburg and all others involved to make this happen.
The phase 1b trial consist of two cohorts of six patients with an independent safety review in between. It will take only a few months until we see the first interim results, and we will keep you posted.

June 2023 -  Monumental milestone reached after first patient treated

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Last week, SentryX was present at two renowned global conferences: the Global Spine Congress in Prague and the 9th World Congress of the ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) Society in Lisbon.
At these events, the company's primary focus was to share updates on the clinical development of their first implantable anesthetic for spine surgery, BR-003. Furthermore, SentryX actively sought input and feedback on the added value of BR-003 in spine surgery from many professionals, including spine surgeons, pain specialists, and global Medtech representatives.
Participating in these conferences provided SentryX with valuable opportunities to contribute to the advancement of spine care and postoperative recovery. The company looks forward to continuing its efforts to improve patient outcomes and help medical technology move forward.

Last week, SentryX was present at two renowned global conferences: the Global Spine Congress in Prague and the 9th World Congress of the ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) Society in Lisbon.

June 2023 - SentryX attending two prestigious global surgical conferences

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On Thursday, May 4th, our clinical team visited the Orthopedic Hospital Sonnenhof in Bern, Switzerland, for the second and final Site Initiation Visit of SentryX’s first-in-human clinical trial. During the day, we collaborated closely with their team to prepare for the Phase Ib study. As a result, both hospitals are now ready to include their first patients. We thank our clinical partners in Bern for their dedication and professionalism and are very happy to start this exciting journey together.

May 2023 - Both sites initiated for the upcoming Phase 1 clinical trial

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On Thursday April 13th, another milestone was reached in our longstanding goal to improve the lives of patients undergoing musculoskeletal surgery. On this day members from the SentryX team, together with members from the Department of Orthopedics from the Elisabeth Hospital in Tilburg, conducted the Site Initiation Visit (SIV) for the upcoming Phase 1 clinical trial. During a SIV a hospital (site) is prepared and set up to perform the clinical study. After a day of hard work everyone involved was brought to the level were we can now look forward with confidence to include our first patient. This important day was concluded in good spirits with a dinner for the whole team. On Thursday May 4th we will perform the second SIV in hospital Sonnenhof in Bern, Switserland. We very much look forward to this moment as with both sites initiated our Phase 1 trial is really about to begin!

On Thursday April 13th, SentryX conducted the Site Initiation Visit (SIV) for the upcoming Phase 1 clinical trial at the Department of Orthopedics from the Elisabeth Hospital in Tilburg.

May 2023 - First site initiated for the upcoming Phase 1 clinical trial

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On Wednesday April 19th, Jasper Steverink successfully defended his academic dissertation ‘Postoperative Skeletal Pain; Development of Non-Opioid Treatment Strategies’ in the Academiegebouw in Utrecht. During an official oral test, five professors from the Utrecht University were given the opportunity to challenge the PhD candidate on his scientific work. A lively discussion followed whereby many aspects of skeletal pain after surgery and the development of our unique hydrogel as promising non-opioid treatment solution were debated. Jasper, supported by his colleagues Hein Jonkman and Floris van Tol, did an outstanding job of replying to all questions during the examination. Following tradition, at exactly 45 minutes into the discussion, the Beadle interrupted with ‘Hora Est’ prompting the group of professors to withdraw and deliberate on the quality of the defense. Just ten minutes later and after unanimous agreement, Jasper was awarded the title PhD from professor Jos Malda, who together with Jorrit-Jan Verlaan and Susanna Piluso coached him during this scientific work. We congratulate Jasper Steverink MD, PhD with this great achievement!

On Wednesday April 19th, Jasper Steverink successfully defended his academic dissertation ‘Postoperative Skeletal Pain; Development of Non-Opioid Treatment Strategies’ in the Academiegebouw in Utrecht.

May 2023 - Jasper Steverink successfully defended PhD dissertation

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SentryX is thrilled to have been awarded €15.5 million in funding from the EIC Accelerator program, advancing its mission to drastically improve recovery after musculoskeletal surgery and make healthcare more affordable.
The funds will be used to accelerate the clinical development of BR-003: an innovative long-acting co-implantable anesthetic that will be applied in spinal fusion surgery before expanding to other musculoskeletal procedures. Stay tuned for updates on the first clinical trial, which will commence soon.
Many thanks to the EIC and everyone who helped on the proposal, especially team IRIS with the RvO who provided invaluable guidance and support throughout. Also, congratulations to the <a href="https://siliconcanals.com/news/startups/eic-selects-32-european-startups/">six (!) other </a><a href="https://siliconcanals.com/news/startups/eic-selects-32-european-startups/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dutch startups</a> who were successful in this round.

SentryX is thrilled to have been awarded €15.5 million in funding from the EIC Accelerator program, advancing its mission to drastically improve recovery after musculoskeletal surgery and make healthcare more affordable.

April 2023 - SentryX Awarded €15.5M in EIC Accelerator Funding

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SentryX has achieved an important milestone in the global protection of its technology, as the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has formally awarded the patent for its innovative concept of co-implanting local anesthetics alongside surgical screws.

In total SentryX has submitted 6 patent families to safeguard its concepts and the foundational hydrogel technology. SentryX is excited about this achievement and eagerly anticipates bringing this technology to the market in the upcoming years.

United States Patent and Trademark Office

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The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has formally awarded the patent for its innovative concept of co-implanting local anesthetics alongside surgical screws.

March 2023 - First patent officially granted in the United States

Lin Wide crop

SentryX welcomes Lin Roest as the newest member of its clinical operations team. With over 14 years of experience in clinical research, Lin will be of great value as the company completes the observational study, carries out a Phase Ib clinical trial, and prepares for the subsequent confirmatory trial.

After obtaining a master’s degree in Animal Science, Lin worked at Cardialysis, Novo Nordisk, and Julius Clinical before becoming a Clinical Trial Manager at ProQR Therapeutics. Lin started her work at SentryX in February 2023, and we are very happy to have her on board.

SentryX welcomes Lin Roest as the newest member of its clinical operations team.

February 2023 - SentryX Strengthens Clinical Operations Team

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SentryX is happy to announce the formal approval of its first clinical trial. The Phase Ib study will investigate an innovative local pain treatment specifically designed for spine fixation surgery. The trial is centered around safety in humans and may also provide an early indication of efficacy. After promising preclinical results, this approval marks SentryX’s entrance into the clinical stage. The study will commence in the second quarter of 2023, in the Netherlands and Switzerland, and the first results are expected six months later.
Background
There is a troubling lack of safe and effective pain treatments after major surgery. Every year, more than 25 million people undergo musculoskeletal procedures to maintain mobility and quality of life. As the population ages, this number is only expected to grow. To keep musculoskeletal surgery accessible and affordable, there is an increasing focus on innovative surgical techniques enabling enhanced recovery after surgery. However, the intense pain that patients experience in the first few days after surgery remains a major bottleneck, especially since opioids are still the dominant pain treatment. Opioids provide insufficient pain relief in up to 80% of patients and routinely cause side-effects such as nausea, obstipation, or dizziness. Severe side-effects occur in 13,6% of patients, resulting in longer hospital stays, higher costs, and increased readmission rates. Even today, patients generally remain in the hospital for several days, mostly because of pain and opioid-related side-effects. For this problem, SentryX believes it can realize a radical change. Through sustained, non-opioid pain relief after major surgery, its goal is to enhance recovery, improve outcomes, free up scarce hospital capacity, and save costs.
SentryX
SentryX was founded late 2017 to realize improved pain control after major surgery. One of its founders, a spine surgeon from the University Medical Center Utrecht, has long witnessed the downsides of existing pain treatments like so many of his colleagues. Rather than administering opioids, which act on the central nervous system, he began looking for a way to block pain locally. Local anesthetics are widely used in dentistry, as epidural anesthesia, and in many other indications. They are well-known for their comparative safety, efficacy, and consistency when compared to opioids. In major surgery, however, local anesthetics are scarcely used because they work for only 6-8 hours and can be difficult to inject consistently near the relevant nerves and pain receptors. Together with the UMC Utrecht, SentryX has found a way to circumvent these limitations using revolutionary local drug delivery technology. Their first solution is specifically designed for spine fixation surgery and could clear the way for many other applications to follow.

SentryX is happy to announce the formal approval of its first clinical trial. The Phase Ib study will investigate an innovative local pain treatment specifically designed for spine fixation surgery.

January 2023 - Green Light for SentryX's First Clinical Trial

Clinical trial

SentryX is pleased to announce that in November, a Clinical Trial Application (CTA) has been submitted to Swissmedic, the Swiss surveillance authority for medicines and medical devices, and ethics committee for a first-in-human Phase 1b clinical trial for its lead candidate, BR-003. The trial will take place at the Orthopädie Sonnenhof Clinic in Bern and two hospitals in the Netherlands, and will enroll patients undergoing elective lumbar spine surgery with pedicle screw instrumentation.
The CTA submission builds on several years of research and development resulting in strong preclinical safety data as well as compelling in-vivo evidence of the local performance of the candidate product. SentryX is well-prepared and excited to be entering the clinical development phase.

SentryX is pleased to announce that a Clinical Trial Application (CTA) has been submitted to Swissmedic and ethics committee.

December 2022 - First Clinical Trial Application Submitted

Robot

The field of spine surgery is rapidly evolving, continuously optimizing the perioperative process to improve outcomes after surgery. The philosophy of optimization is embodied by the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) society. An exciting new development is the implementation of robotic assistance during pedicle screw implantation for spinal fusion.
Although still in its early phases, robotic surgery aims to enhance recovery after surgery through improving the accuracy and efficiency of screw placement, thus reducing tissue damage. The aim of robotic surgery matches the vision of SentryX: by improving accuracy of pain treatment, adverse effects of treatment are minimized. The combination of robotic surgery and SentryX innovative pain treatment could lead to major enhancement of recovery after surgery. Together with our advisors, SentryX provides a sneak peek of what the future could look like in <a href="https://cms.sentryx.nl/uploads/Whitepaper-Robotic-Spine-Systems.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">our latest whitepaper.</a>

SentryX whitepaper on the rapidly evolving field of spine surgery and how postoperative pain treatment can play a pivotal role

December 2022 - Future Outlook Robotic Surgery and BR-003

Vaccaro

SentryX is proud to welcome Alex Vaccaro, MD, PhD, MBA, as a strategic advisor. Internationally regarded as a leading expert in spine surgery, dr. Vaccaro will be able to provide invaluable guidance and support during the clinical development and implementation of BR-003. Dr. Vaccaro is current president of the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute in Phildelphia and has also served in many leading roles in the AO Spine community. He has officially taken up his position as SentryX’s strategic advisor on October 1st, 2022.

Alex ver

SentryX is proud to welcome Alex Vaccaro, MD, PhD, MBA, as a strategic advisor.

October 2022 - Alex Vaccaro Joins SentryX as Strategic Advisor

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SentryX has started a collaboration with the Medical Innovation and Technology Department of the Radboud University Medical Center, one of leading centers in the field of early HTA-modeling. 
Together an HTA-model will be developed that connects the medical performance of BR-003 to the expected benefits for the patient, hospital, and society. Clinical trial results and post-marketing surveillance data will help validate and improve the model, which may also be applied to novel medical technologies under development.

SentryX has started a collaboration with the Medical Innovation and Technology Department of the Radboud University Medical Center

September 2022 - HTA-Modeling Collaboration Started

SentryX received a Notice of Allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its first patent application. Previously, the patent also received an Intention to Grant status from the European Patent Office. These two milestones represent highly important steps towards the global protection of both SentryX’s surgical applications and their underlying hydrogel technology. Presently, SentryX has submitted six patent applications.

SentryX received a Notice of Allowance from the United States Patent and Trademark Office for its first patent application.

September 2022 - Notice of Allowance for First Patent

Hydrogel 2

The development of SentryX’s hydrogel technology, and its application in providing sustained release of local pain killers after surgery has been published in Acta Biomaterialia, a leading peer-reviewed biomaterials journal.

The publication elaborates on the in vitro raw material development and hydrogel synthesis, and provides ex vivo clues on its feasibility in spine surgery. The involvement of multiple scientific advisors makes the work a true joint effort. The publication represents the first step towards clinical translation of developments in the lab and is followed by in vivo safety testing of the hydrogel technology. The results have previously been presented at the Global Spine Congress in Paris 2021, receiving the attention of a global audience of spine surgeons. Find the publication <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1742706122002768" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.

Hydrogel

The development of SentryX’s hydrogel technology, and its application in providing sustained release of local pain killers after surgery has been published in Acta Biomaterialia

July 2022 - Publication of Hydrogel Technology

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The University Medical Center Utrecht has received a €600.000 research grant from the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF) for its ‘CODED’ project (Controlled Release of Drugs in Glioblastoma). The project employs SentryX’s proprietary hydrogel technology to develop a hemostatic adhesive drug carrier that allows for localized, controlled release of therapeutics directly to brain tissue following local tumor resection. This revolutionary approach can prevent severe bleeding after brain surgery and circumvents the blood-brain-barrier to enable increased local drug concentrations with fewer side-effects in the rest of the body. The project is headed by dr. Raymond Schiffelers, full professor in Nanomedicine, and involves contributions from dr. Elly Hol, full professor in Glia Biology of Brain Diseases, and dr. Pierre Robe, full professor in Neurosurgery. The project has commenced in the second half of 2022 and will last for approximately three years. More information (in Dutch) can be found <a href="https://www.kwf.nl/onderzoek/onderzoeksdatabase/coded-gecontroleerde-afgifte-van-geneesmiddelen-bij-de-hersentumor" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.

The University Medical Center Utrecht has received a €600.000 research grant from the Dutch Cancer Society (KWF) for its ‘CODED’ project (Controlled Release of Drugs in Glioblastoma)

April 2022 - Partner in KWF Research Grant

Header updates

SentryX, a spin-off of the University Medical Center Utrecht (the Netherlands) today announced that it raised €3.2M in seed funding for the development of their next-generation pain relief therapeutic platform. The round includes an investment from the Utrecht Health Seed Fund.
Every year, millions of people in Europe and the US undergo a significant orthopedic surgical procedure and experience intense post-operative pain as a result. Despite the application of systemic pain medication, most patients still report insufficient pain relief, hampering post-operative recovery. SentryX’s innovative pain relief therapy platform focuses on minimizing post-operative pain to improve the overall patient experience and quality of care.

SentryX, a spin-off of the University Medical Center Utrecht (the Netherlands) today announced that it raised €3.2M in seed funding for the development of their next-generation pain relief therapeutic platform.

April 2021 - SentryX closes €3.2M seed funding round for the development of next generation pain relief therapeutics

FDA Takes New Steps to Stimulate Development of Non-Opioids in Acute Pain Management
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken new steps aimed at fostering the development of non-addictive alternatives to opioids in acute pain management. The FDA targets pharmaceuticals against pain lasting up to 30 days, typically in response to some form of tissue injury such as trauma or surgery. Decreasing opioid exposure and preventing addiction are seen as core components of combating the opioid epidemic.
In a draft guidance, the FDA provides clear recommendations for companies developing non-opioid analgesics for acute pain. Three key aspects are highlighted:
Which types of drug development programs may be appropriate to generate the data needed to support an indication for acute pain management
The use of claims surrounding the elimination or reduction of opioids in drug labeling and the data needed to support those claims
Potential use of the FDA’s expedited programs to support the development program
The US government has prioritized beating the opioid epidemic and has taken express steps towards developing non-addictive alternatives to opioids in acute pain management. The full draft guidance can be found <a href="https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-steps-aimed-fostering-development-non-addictive-alternatives-opioids-acute-pain-management">here.</a>

FDA Takes New Steps to Stimulate Development of Non-Opioids in Acute Pain Management

February 2022 - FDA Takes New Steps to Stimulate Development of Non-Opioids in Acute Pain Management

News

New Publication in Nature Scientific Reports