Yesterday the National Capital Consortium for Pediatric Device Innovation (NCC-PDI) Competition gave a quarter of a million dollars to six companies that are developing products to address unmet pediatric needs. Selected from 37 submissions, the companies will also receive expertise in pediatric product development to help them bring their products to market faster, and they can use the funds to raise more capital for the commercialization process.

“Each year, the NCC-PDI competition advances the Consortium in its mission to help innovators develop and bring to market medical devices to protect the health and safety of children,” said William E. Bentley, Ph.D., Robert E. Fischell Distinguished Professor of Bioengineering and Director of the Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices at the University of Maryland, in a press release. “This competition was special in that it occurred on February 29, also known as ‘Rare Disease Day,’ a day that draws our attention to diseases or disorders that affect fewer than 200,000 individuals. Over 50% of rare diseases affect kids. The innovators recognized by this competition demonstrate how entrepreneurship and ingenuity can create solutions for the myriad health challenges impacting our children.”

Four pediatric devices received $50,000:

• Custom 3-D printed vaginal stent and dilator for girls born with congenital abnormalities (Baylor College of Medicine/Texas Children’s Hospital)
• Prosthetic socket liner that provides a comfortable fit (Benevolent Technologies for Health)
• Single-incision minimally invasive delivery device for epicardial pacing and defibrillation (Children’s National Health System)
• Non-invasive vibratory breathing stimulator for children who have apnea and periodic breathing problems (Sensory Innovations Solutions)

Two pediatric devices received $25,000:

• Minimally invasive correction system to treat adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (ApiFix)
• Non-invasive handheld device that uses retinal birefringence scanning to quickly assess vision abnormalities related to concussions (REBIScan)

The FDA-funded consortium is led by the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National Health System and the A. James Clark School of Engineering at the University of Maryland.