Front Line Medical Technologies is a Canadian medical device company that is transforming the medtech industry through the development of COBRA-OS, (Control Of Bleeding, Resuscitation, Arterial Occlusion System), which is the smallest REBOA (Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta) life-saving bleeding control device. Pulse 2.0 interviewed Front Line Medical co-founder and CEO Dr. Asha Parekh to learn more about the company.
Dr. Asha Parekh’s Background
What is Dr. Asha Parekh’s background? Dr. Parekh said:
“I am the CEO and Co Founder of Front Line Medical Technologies, a leader in innovative medical devices for emergency and trauma care. I completed a PhD in Biomedical Engineering, followed by two postdoctoral fellowships—one in Medical Innovation and the second in Clinical Neurology. Front Line Medical Technologies was born during this time, and that’s when my path changed, and I jumped into entrepreneurship.”
Formation Of Front Line Medical Technologies
How did the idea for the company come together? Dr. Parekh shared:
“My business partner, Dr. Adam Power, and I were working on a few R&D-level projects (in our free time). A funding opportunity came up, and this was the only one that we were really passionate about due to its potential impact on the industry and on patients. When we successfully secured the funding, we decided to start this journey and bring our idea to market on our own.”
Favorite Memory
What has been your favorite memory working for the company so far? Dr. Parekh reflected:
“I don’t know that I could choose just one! But my favorite memories are by far the ones with the team. We are so lucky to have close relationships, and spending time together is always enjoyable, which I think is rare. There are many that stand out from a company achievement perspective, including successfully raising our first round, those regulatory stamps of approval to sell, the first use case that saved a real human life…there are too many, and all are incredibly meaningful to us.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Dr. Parekh explained:
“The COBRA-OS is the smallest life-saving aortic occlusion device available on the market. It stands out for its ultra low profile and unique design and safety features. Its design allows for rapid and precise deployment, providing controlled occlusion of a patient’s aorta in urgent medical situations until definitive care can be provided. An accompanying 4 Fr micropuncture access kit and 10 cc sword-handled syringe also come in the kit, making it incredibly efficient and user-friendly in critical situations. Our commitment is to lower bleeding control and resuscitation barriers, making our technologies accessible and effective for healthcare providers globally. The COBRA-OS has received FDA clearance, Health Canada approval, and CE marking to date.”
Challenges Faced
What challenges have Dr. Parekh and the company face in building the company? Dr. Parekh acknowledged:
“The past few years have been challenging for the whole world on many levels. We’ve been subject to the same hurdles that we keep hearing about—increased prices, increased need for supply chain management due to shortages, and longer lead times, which makes working capital increasingly important. We have had to manage our supply chain differently, ordering much more in advance and in larger quantities than usual.”
Evolution Of Front Line Medical’s Technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since launching? Dr. Parekh noted:
“The COBRA-OS has remained unchanged since its launch. We are currently developing pipeline products and other R&D projects to complement it. Stay tuned!”
Cobra-OS Included in the box
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Dr. Parekh cited:
“Successful fundraising, Health Canada approval, FDA approval, and most recently, CE marking allow us to achieve the ultimate goal of helping real-world patients on a global scale. This reinforces our dedication to technological excellence and our commitment to better patient care.”
Customer Success Stories
When asking Dr. Parekh about customer success stories, she highlighted:
“Unfortunately, there have been too many motor vehicle accident cases. They’re all extreme in their own way, but the COBRA-OS® helped give them a chance at survival.”
“Postpartum hemorrhage – the COBRA-OS has been used to save mothers from bleeding out after giving birth. I was lucky enough to meet one of them at a conference that was held at a hospital. They brought the patient up, showed her the COBRA-OS, and said, ‘This little device is what saved your life.’ She was in tears as she thanked us for what we do.”
“Nontraumatic cardiac arrest – a patient was administered CPR for an extended period of time while being transported to the hospital, with no luck of resuscitation. When they arrived at the ER, they had the COBRA-OS on hand and deployed it, and within one minute, the patient returned!”
Total Addressable Market
What total addressable market (TAM) size is the company pursuing? Dr. Parekh assessed:
“This varies by clinical application. It sounds ludicrous to include all of them, but the number is in the billions.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Dr. Parekh affirmed:
“The technology we offer definitely differentiates us, but beyond that, I believe that how we operate our company truly differentiates us as well. Helping patients is always our north star, and that’s the guiding principle that drives our decision-making. We don’t push the procedure on people for that reason—we believe that it should only be used when needed, so we are not pushy salespeople.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future company goals? Dr. Parekh concluded:
“Looking ahead, our goals are centered around growth and expansion. We are driven by our mission to help as many patients as possible, which means continually assessing what’s possible in a multitude of clinical applications. We’re committed to expanding our reach and ensuring that our life-saving technologies, like the COBRA-OS, are accessible to healthcare providers worldwide.”
