Partners for several years, SATT Nord and Lille University Hospital are working to strengthen the economic and social impact of research results by accelerating the transfer of innovation for the benefit of patients. As a concrete example, the medtech company MDoloris Medical Systems, with the help of Lille University Hospital and SATT Nord, has just reached a major new milestone in the control of pain management during surgery. This global technological revolution is expected to reach the market by 2025 thanks to this public-private research collaboration.
The technology known as "BOUCLE" is the latest development in an innovative and effective device created at Lille University Hospital, used in many operating rooms around the world: the ANI index, which monitors an individual's pain based on respiratory variability in heart rate, even under general anesthesia.
Developed at the Clinical Investigation Center for Technological Innovation, this closed-loop regulation system, unique for the administration of analgesic products, allows for the continuous personalization of morphine administration during general anesthesia according to the immediate needs of patients. BOUCLE technology aims to improve pain management for patients by meeting the needs of anesthesiologists. This technology is the result of research conducted by Dr. Julien De Jonckheere, research fellow at CIC-IT 1403, Dr. Mathieu Jeanne, anesthesiologist and intensive care physician at the Lille University Hospital Burn Center, and Professor Régis Logier, coordinator of the Inserm CIC IT 1403 laboratory, on the measurement of pain in patients, particularly those under anesthesia.
The BOUCLE system was developed based on the long-standing expertise of doctors and researchers at Lille University Hospital, in collaboration with the University of Lille and Inserm, with which MDoloris has had a partnership for many years. The BOUCLE project illustrates the major role played by Lille University Hospital in the innovation process, and that of SATT Nord in providing operational support for this process. MDoloris is an innovative start-up that emerged from the hospital. After more than 10 years of existence, the links between the company and Lille University Hospital remain very close, with the two working together to develop new medical solutions.
As the sole representative for this innovative project, Lille University Hospital successfully completed the project, thanks in particular to its technology maturation and transfer partner, SATT NORD. The signing of the co-maturation contract and then the concession of the rights to exploit the BOUCLE technology by SATT NORD and MDoloris is the first concrete achievement of the partnership established between SATT NORD and Lille University Hospital in 2021 to strengthen the dissemination of innovations from Lille University Hospital.
A public-private partnership through co-maturation, a major asset for the development of innovations, supported by the Hauts-de-France region.
This collaboration between Lille University Hospital, SATT Nord, and MDoloris has facilitated the transfer of public research to the private sector, with:
- Joint financing of the co-development program, reducing the financial risk for the company, with additional financial support from the Hauts-de-France Region (via the ERDF fund).
- A financial contribution of €305K, including, among other things, the provision of an engineer and a multidisciplinary team to oversee the technical, legal, intellectual property, and business development aspects of the project, as well as the costs associated with filing a patent and software.
- An intellectual property strategy that led to the filing of a patent application, taking into account the objectives, needs, and constraints related to the intended application.
- Access to a dedicated facility at the heart of the Lille University Hospital campus
As a testing ground for innovative technologies, Lille University Hospital has been forging numerous partnerships with academia, industry, and entrepreneurship for over twenty years. The Lille University Hospital is currently involved in 455 industrial partnerships. Its scientific excellence, with 20% of its researchers' publications ranking in the top 10% worldwide, combined with an institutional policy of supporting research and innovation, has enabled the emergence and development of numerous start-ups and success stories, including MDoloris Medical Systems.
With many years of experience, CIC-IT combines expertise and knowledge of regulatory, methodological, technical, and scientific aspects in the field of health. Thanks to its structural neutrality and its roots in the regional ecosystem, CIC-IT enjoys privileged access to professional communities, target populations, business networks, and research stakeholders.
Thanks to its expertise in technology transfer, SATT Nord has signed 55 licensing agreements since its creation in 2012, invested €44 million, and been responsible for the creation of 23 startups. It facilitates links between businesses and public research and supports businesses by assuming the financial risk of technology development through co-development agreements.
This partnership marks the beginning of a new era of collaboration between Mdoloris Medical Systems, SATT Nord, and Lille University Hospital, highlighting their shared commitment to innovation in healthcare in order to push the boundaries of science and technology, deliver innovative solutions, and imagine the future of anesthesia.
"We are delighted to see the establishment of a close operational partnership between Lille University Hospital, CIC-IT, M-Doloris, and SATT Nord, through the joint development of a technology that is set to revolutionize pain management for patients undergoing surgery."Fabrice Lefebvre, Executive Chairman of SATT Nord
"SATT Nord's investment in our Boucle project enabled us to see it through, from proof of concept to industrial transfer. SATT Nord supports and guides us while allowing us to remain in control of strategic and technological decisions." Dr.Julien De Jonckheere, Research Fellow at CIC-IT Verbatim, Mdoloris
The project received ERDF funding of €114,624 as part of the Smart, Sustainable, and Inclusive Growth initiative.