Every year, around two million hip fractures affect osteoporotic patients, causing dramatic damage to the victims. The proportion of patients who succumb to injury within the first year is nearly 20% and half of the survivors are never able to walk again without help. Today, doctors lack quick solutions as anti-osteoporotic drugs are slow acting and not very efficient for the hips.
In order to strengthen osteoporotic bones and provide a fast-acting solution, flowbone has developed its own gel-like biomaterial. The product is injected directly into the patient’s bone through a procedure under local anesthesia. This solution is primarily intended to treat locally osteoporosis of the hip bones as this is one of the areas most affected by the disease. A first fracture often leads to others, which can be anticipated with the bioactive gel. This process helps to protect patients from devastating fractures and to preserve their mobility and independence.
Founded in 2020 as an EPFL spin-off and headquartered in Renens, flowbone already convinced and gained support from Eurostars, InnoSuisse, Venture Kick, the canton of Vaud and EIT Health. flowbone also received the PERL 2021 award and was named a De Vigier finalist. With its growing success, the start-up is targeting the US and European markets.
The funds from the FIT Tech Seed loan of CHF 100’000 will allow flowbone to develop its production with the acquisition of new equipment. The start-up is currently conducting preclinical testing until the end of 2023 and will then start the first human trials.
