Echo Therapeutics Inc. (OTC:ECTE) initiated the development of a device that continuously monitors lactate levels without the use of needles.
The Franklin, Mass.-based company said its new transdermal biosensor will have uses in both sports medicine and critical care.
The levels of lactate, a by-product of lactic acid, rise in muscles during exercise. Lactate threshold is an important indicator for the performance of individual athletes; Echo is designing its monitors to help athletes increase their performance and decrease injuries. The amount of lactate produced in individuals suffering from shock may also correlate with oxygen deprivation and hypoperfusion, according to a press release.
Echo‘s Prelude SkinPrep system, a transdermal drug delivery device, is also in the works, along with a needle-free, wireless, transdermal continuous glucose monitoring device the company calls the Symphony system.
A month ago, the company completed a clinical trial of its Prelude SkinPrep system, and said it will seek 510(k) clearance from the Food & Drug Administration in the “near future.”
