Aspero wins NIH grant to develop endoscopic balloon component

BOULDER — Aspero Medical Inc., a medical device startup focused on developing solutions and applications for the field of gastroenterology, recently received a “$310,000 grant from the National Institutes of Health for the purpose of developing an endoscopic single balloon overtube incorporating the company’s core Pillar micro-texture technology,” according to a company news release. 

The firm was given a similar $225,000 grant in August.

Balloon endoscopy has become the standard of care in the drive to diagnose and treat small bowel disease. However, the current balloons used in these procedures are smooth and round making them prone to slippage. These ineffective balloons result in an estimated $100 million in increased annual costs for health-care providers and patients, the company said. Every year in the U.S., more than 51.5 million gastrointestinal endoscopies are performed.  

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“We are incredibly pleased to receive this phase one grant funding from the NIH and plan to utilize the funds to advance the development and introduction of a next generation single balloon overtube for GI endoscopy procedures,” Aspero CEO Mark Rentschler said in a prepared statement. “This novel balloon design will have a significant impact for both caregivers and patients.”

The project will be led by Rentschler as principal investigator and supported through Prospect Life Sciences. Rentschler is also a professor of mechanical engineering at CU.  

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