The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved for marketing the REZA BAND UES Assist Device, which was developed by Germantown-based Somna Therapeutics LLC.
The REZA BAND is a non-medicated, non-surgical medical device that applies slight external pressure to the neck to help reduce symptoms of laryngopharyngeal reflux by preventing regurgitation of stomach contents through the esophageal sphincter. It was developed based on two decades of scientific and clinical research conducted by a leading gastroenterologist at the Wauwatosa-based Medical College of Wisconsin.
The band is worn just below the Adam’s apple to press on the cricoid cartilage area. It aims to reduce symptoms including chronic throat irritation and cough, hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing and postnasal drip that can be caused by acid reflux.
In clinical trials, 86 percent of patients had a successful outcome using the REZA BAND and reported significant reduction in symptoms after two weeks.
Medical device developer Somna Therapeutics was founded in March 2012 through a partnership with the Medical College of Wisconsin. Its founders are Tom Shannon, founder of the BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation; Nick Maris, former division COO at Serigraph Corp.; early stage investor Jeff Harris; and Dr. Reza Shaker, chief of gastroenterology and hepatology at Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin.
