US-based Children’s National Hospital and medical device company Compremium are partnering to develop non-invasive pressure monitoring technologies for paediatric patients.

Based in Switzerland, Compremium has developed a point-of-care platform for the real time, non-invasive diagnosis of pressure physiologies, including venous, intracranial, and tissue pressure conditions.

Compremium’s Compartmental Compressibility Monitoring System CPMX1 device received 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April 2023.

Under the agreement, Children’s National Hospital will serve as a paediatric innovation hub for Compremium, with the facility set to take the lead on conducting clinical studies, research projects, and the anticipated commercialisation efforts that will stem from the partnership.

Children’s National Hospital's vice president and chief innovation officer Koladeh Eskandanian said: “Compremium’s non-invasive, real-time pressure monitoring technology not only has the potential to transform paediatric care but also demonstrates how prioritising paediatric innovation can pave the way for broader adoption and scalability to adult populations.

“Our paediatric providers are eager for innovative, child-friendly monitoring solutions that reduce the need for invasive procedures, and this collaboration is dedicated to making that a reality.”

Pressure-related conditions typically require invasive processes such as catheterisation to directly measure pressure within specific blood vessels or tissues. However, these can prove uncomfortable and hold potential risks for patients, and more so among more vulnerable paediatric populations.

The entities initially plan to focus on applying Compremium’s technology to paediatric patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), in which frequent monitoring of central venous pressure (CVP) – a measure of blood volume returning to the heart and overall circulatory function – is required.

Children's National's cardiac surgery chief Yves d'Udekem said: “Non-invasive CVP monitoring for the paediatric population is the holy grail of cardiac care, a long-awaited advancement that has the potential to revolutionise care.

“Paediatric cardiac surgeons worldwide are eager for this breakthrough solution, which could transform how we monitor and treat cardiovascular patients.”

The partnership with Compremium was arranged by Children’s National Innovation Ventures, the commercialisation arm of Children’s National Hospital, which aims to advance regulated medical products that improve paediatric health.

Research indicates that CHD is one of the most common birth defects, affecting nearly one in every 110 babies born in the US.