MSU startup TheraB receives funding from medical investment firm

A new medical device that will change the way families treat infant jaundice is one step closer to market thanks to a partnership between a Michigan State University startup company and a medical investment firm based in Michigan.
 
Conceived by MSU students and nurtured through the MSU Innovation Center, TheraB Medical Products, Inc., received $150,000 this spring in pre-seed stage funding from Quantum Medical Concepts. The funding, says CEO Ryan Jankovic, will be applied toward product development, further strengthening TheraB's ability to provide a product that offers an intimate and cost-effective method of treating jaundice in newborns.
 
Jaundice is caused by bilburin—a high level of pigment in the blood that causes the skin to look yellow. In newborns, the still-developing liver may not be able to remove bilburin from the blood, resulting in infant jaundice. Traditional treatments for newborns may involve therapies that separate mothers and babies, including light therapies and bulky non-portable blankets.
 
The SnugLit Portable Phototherapy Blanket treats infant jaundice by providing the blue light needed to help the newborn break down bilburin molecules. The wearable swaddle also facilitates skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding, and other essential elements of mother-baby bonding.
 
"We've worked to make SnugLit easy to use so parents can have the treatment they need for their infant and also be able to conduct their daily activities," says Jankovic. "The blanket can be used both at home and in the home for mild cases."
 
The idea for the SnugLit blanket resulted from a student research project, and was developed with extensive feedback from healthcare professionals. TheraB was founded in 2014 through the MSU Innovations Center, won several pitch and startup business competitions, and has been featured on a variety of local, regional and national media. Jankovic says the coming year will involve final fundraising and product development, with the first products expected to be available in 2016.
 
Source: Ryan Jankovic, TheraB Medical Products, Inc.
Writer: Ann Kammerer, News Editor
    
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