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Sleep Solutions, Inc.
(SSI), the market leader delivering innovative medical technologies for the
sleep disorder market, recently announced it has secured $20.5 million in
additional venture funding.
The investment was led by the TPG Biotechnology II fund with participation from
existing investors, including MedVenture Associates, Dr. Thomas Fogarty/Emergent
Ventures, and Lava Ventures.
D. Keith Grossman, Managing Director of TPG Biotech, stated, "We are
excited about the prospects for SSI. OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) is one of the most serious and
under-diagnosed medical problems in our country, and the current approach of
overnight sleep center studies is both costly and limited in its capacity to
serve large numbers of patients. The company's proprietary OSA detection
technology and unique home service delivery model, combined with existing strong
support from private insurers and now Medicare, uniquely position SSI for an
aggressive nationwide launch over the coming months and years".
About Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a chronic breathing disorder characterized by
interruptions of breathing during sleep. The condition occurs when air cannot
flow into or out of the person's nose or mouth due to collapse and blockage of
the airways, usually accompanied by loud snoring. Over 40 million Americans, and
5% of the worldwide population, suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, yet, 80 to
90 percent of these cases remain undiagnosed and untreated, resulting in more
extensive and more expensive medical care. Sleep Apnea has been linked to
hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes, erectile dysfunction,
depression, epilepsy, obesity, cardiovascular disease, stroke and congestive
heart failure, as well as other conditions such as fatigue, irritability, and
overall reduced quality of life.
With only 15-20% of
the estimated 40 million OSA patients in the US identified or diagnosed, the OSA
diagnostic testing market is projected to exceed $3 billion in 2008 and is
expected to grow 20-30% annually for the next five years. In December, the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a draft National
Coverage Decision approving reimbursement for in-home diagnostic testing
services for OSA patients. The final policy is to be posted in mid-March.
"The new investment and continued support of existing financial partners is
a compelling endorsement of SSI and its demonstrated ability to deliver
innovative solutions to sleep apnea patients," stated Michael J. Thomas,
President and CEO of SSI. "The TPG investment represents an inflection
point for Sleep Solutions, enabling SSI to remain at the vanguard for developing
new approaches to delivering superior patient outcomes while expanding the
breadth of our high-quality healthcare solutions outside the traditional
settings of hospitals or sleep labs."
The additional investment will be used to build a national sales and marketing
capability, expand facilities, and continue driving the company's development of
innovative applications for its proprietary NovaSom(R) QSG(R) diagnostic medical
device and MediTrack(R) Patient Management System.
Sleep Solutions also announced that Mr. Grossman and Ned Brown, also a Managing
Director of TPG Biotech, have joined the company's board of directors. Mr.
Grossman will serve as Chairman. "Keith and Ned have more than 40 years of
combined experience in the medical device business, identifying and developing
new markets for products, building strong organizations and creating substantial
shareholder value. We are excited to add their industry leadership and vision to
our board," said Thomas.
Sleep Solutions is a medical device manufacturer providing technology enhanced
services for direct-to-patient diagnosis, therapy and compliance management of
sleep-disordered breathing, including Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). The
privately held company provides physicians and their patients a clinically
validated, cost-effective, accurate and comfortable alternative to in-laboratory
sleep studies at a significantly reduced cost.
For more information, please visit
www.SleepSolutions.com
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