It couldn’t have worked out better if they planned it that way. Science-led global healthcare company GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare and wearable pain solution innovator NeuroMetrix announced a technology sale and a multiyear development collaboration deal for NeuroMetrix’s Quell Wearable Pain Relief Technology.
We last wrote about Quell in 2015 when the FDA cleared the wearable for sale without a prescription. Developed as a drug-free means to alleviate chronic pain, Quell uses neurostimulation from a band strapped to the upper calf of one leg for 60-minute treatments. Electrodes placed on the inner surface of the band contact the skin directly. The electrodes need to be replaced weekly. The stimulation blocks the brain from getting receiving pain signals from the rest of the body. Users can control the timing, intensity, and stimulation patterns from optional iOS and Android apps. Quell is appropriate for conditions such as diabetic neuropathy, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, and sciatica.
The announced agreement gives GlaxoSmithKline exclusive ownership of Quell technology for markets outside the U.S. while Quell holds exclusive ownership within the U.S. Going forward, both GSK Consumer Healthcare and NeuroMetrix will co-fund Quell technology development for three years with annual renewals by agreement. The terms of the deal call for an initial $5 million payment to NeuroMetrix for marketing rights. GSK may also pay up to an additional $21.5 million dependent on reaching development and market milestones.
NeuroMetrix, a spin-off from the Harvard University and MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, plans to use its Cinderella moment with GSK to focus on expanding Quell’s commercial availability worldwide in concert with its commitment to science-based technology innovation.
