“Sphinx – A Novel “Ostomy Management Device”
Unmet Need and Market Opportunity: Millions of people worldwide need to undergo intestinal surgery to treat gastrointestinal conditions like Colo-rectal Cancer, Ulcerative Colitis etc. These surgeries result in a procedure called ostomy in which the intestine is cut and the end is brought out through an opening on the abdomen called stoma. In this procedure Stools come out through this stoma instead of the natural orifice and the patient has to constantly wear an adhesive pouch/bag hanging from their abdomen to collect the faeces. None of the products in the market currently address the issues related to continence and the effort required in managing the stoma. Instead, the conventional base plate and pouch system lead to further problems like skin excoriation, dermatitis and intense pain.
A novel ostomy management device for stoma care, SphinX was developed under the aegis of the School of International Biodesign (SIB). SIB is a Department of Biotechnology (DBT), Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India supported Fellowship Programme centered at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi (IITD) in collaboration with International partners.
This technology has been developed by SIB Fellows (2014) Pranav Chopra, Neeraj Kumar and Dr.DeevishDinakara bringing together a multidisciplinary skill set to address a problem that affects nearly 3 Lakh people in India and more than 2 million worldwide. SphinX is a soft, pliable device that is inserted into the stoma and remains there for an extended period. It is designed to ensure no leakage of stool. It is very easy to use and its discreet profile gives the patient full control over evacuation of his/her bowel. Ostomates can now resume a normal active life and allow them to go about their daily routine with confidence and freedom, thanks to SphinX. This innovative product will significantly improve the quality of life of ostomates worldwide.
SphinX aims to address a $2.2 billion ostomy care market globally. M/s Crimson Healthcare has licensed the technology for further development and commercialisation.Crimson Healthcare has also received crucial early stage grant funding from BIRAC (Dept of Biotechnology) through its BIG programme with a grant worth 50 Lakhs for proof of concept of the SphinX device.
