Osprey enrols first patient for diabetic limb recovery trial

Osprey Medical (ASX:OSP) has enrolled the first patient for its first-in-human trial of its Limb Recovery System in patients with diabetic limb infections.

The two-year study will be conducted in collaboration with the Royal Melbourne Hospital's Diabetic Foot Unit.

Osprey and the hospital will conduct a two-part, 25 patient trial of the system. The second part will be a randomised clinical outcomes study in 20 patients, comparing the effectiveness of the Limb Recovery System against intravenous delivery of antibiotics.

Osprey in July secured access to a $1.1 million grant from the Victorian Government's Market Validation Program to help fund the trial.

The Limb Recovery System is designed to isolate the circulation of the limb from the general circulatory system, to allow clinicians to treat diabetic limb infections with higher doses of antibiotics than standard delivery mechanisms allow.

Catheters inserted into the major artery and vein of the lower limb are used to achieve this isolation.

Osprey President and CEO Mike McCormick said the technology “has the potential to significant improve the quality of life outcomes for patients with diabetes who have lower limb infections.”

The device is based on the technology used in Osprey's Cincor Contrast Removal System, a catheter and vacuum device designed to extract most of the toxic dye used during x-rays before it can reach the kidneys.

Both systems were originally developed by Melbourne's Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute.

US-headquartered Osprey Medical listed on the ASX in May, through a $20 million IPO first announced in March.

Osprey Medical (ASX:OSP) shares were trading unchanged at 38c as of around 4:00pm on Tuesday.