Children's National and College Park-based University of Maryland's A. James Clark School of Engineering hosted the FDA-funded "Make Your Medical Device Pitch for Kids!" competition at the Fifth Annual Pediatric Device Innovation Symposium, held in San Jose, Calif.
Here are five highlights:
1. Six companies earned a total of $250,000 in grants Sept. 24. The National Capital Consortium for Pediatric Device Innovation sponsored the competition.
2. The organizations gave $50,000 each to four teams and $25,000 each to two teams. The competition received 98 submissions from five countries.
3. Fort Collins, Colo.-based Green Sun Medical was one team awarded $50,000. The company develops a device for spinal deformity, delivering pressure for correction as well as real-time feedback.
4. The panel of judges included:
• Susan Alpert, MD, of SFA Consulting; former FDA Office of Device Evaluation director; and former Medtronic senior vice president and chief regulatory officer
• Charles Berul, MD, co-director of Children's National Heart Institute
• Andrew Elbardissi, MD, of Deerfield Management
• Rick Greenwald, PhD, of New England Pediatric Device Consortium (NEPDC);
• James Love of Oblon
• Josh Makower, MD, of NEA
• Jennifer McCaney, PhD, of MedTech Innovator
• Jackie Phillips, MD, of Johnson & Johnson
• Tracy Warren of Astarte Ventures
5. The symposium focused on the lack of funding for pediatric innovation.