DermatoTherma
A safe treatment for cutaneous Leishmaniasis
At a glance
- Project leader : Davide Paparo
- Deputy of project leader : Prof. Dr. Mathias Bonmarin
- Project team : Daniel Fehr, Raphael Hagen, Ian Caetano Häusler
- Project budget : CHF 148'000
- Project status : completed
- Funding partner : Foundation
- Project partner :
- Contact person : Mathias Bonmarin
Description
There are a wide variety of thermal treatment possibilities, one of them being radio frequency (RF) waves to introduce heat locally. For cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL), a skin disease found in over 98 countries, such a treatment has been around for over 20 years. By reverse-engineering the only RF device widely used on the CL treatment market, we’ve built a prototype with the same functional principle. Through research and testing, shortcomings in the original device were rectified. By introducing a non-contact measurement method, we decrease the side-effects of the treatment while at the same time improving its controllability. Our unique selling proposition is a high-quality RF-treatment thanks to integrated temperature measurement at an affordable price. Benefiting from the partnership with the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), we plan to establish an initial business in the CL treatment market, where drug treatment with severe side effects has been prevalent. Valued at 31 million USD, it is a niche, yet global market still in its introduction phase. By lowering the cost of the device and improving patient safety the accessibility of the treatment method creates an alternative to drug treatment and improves the quality of life for millions of patients.
Further information
Publications
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Häusler, Ian Caetano; Paparo, Davide; Fehr, Daniel; Hagen, Raphael; Velez Mestre, Marta Sofia; Bonmarin, Mathias,
2024.
In:
IEEE International Humanitarian Technologies Conference (IHCT), Cartagena, Colombia, 1-3 November 2023.