Medline buys Canadian stroke rehab device maker NeuroGym

Medline has acquired physical therapy and rehabilitation equipment maker NeuroGym Technologies of Ottawa, Ontario.

NeuroGym’s equipment is designed for people who have had a stroke or other traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, chronic neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, balance issues and/or the need for fall prevention therapy.

The equipment requires the patient to initiate movement, which the company says can help rewire the brain and speed recovery. It includes a sit-to-stand trainer, bungee mobility trainer to re-teach walking and improve balance, a pendulum stepper for lower extremity strength and range of motion, and the “TimTrainer,” which integrates camera-capture technology and interactive gaming to improve motor control and coordination.

“We began selling NeuroGym in 2016 and quickly saw the outcomes matched the promise for our customers,” said Brian Garner, director of therapy and rehabilitation at Medline, in a statement from the company. “We jumped at the chance to fully own the technology and future strategy and growth of the line. NeuroGym has been a very impactful innovation to the therapy and rehab providers working with our company.”

NeuroGym employees will continue with Medline, and the technology’s inventor, Avi Nativ, will serve as a consultant to the business. The purchase price was not disclosed.

“When I engineered and brought NeuroGym to life, I had a vision of creating neurorehabilitation therapy for patients that would vastly change and improve their mobility and lives,” said Nativ, a physiotherapist who holds a PhD in motor control and founded NeuroGym in 1995.  “Medline has shared that vision and helped advance it at every stage. This is a great fit for both companies and the beginning of even more innovation possibilities.”

The purchase of NeuroGym, which closed Jun3 28, marks the second acquisition of a Canadian company by privately held Medline (Northfield, Ill.) in a month. The company recently bought Dufort et Lavigne Ltée, a Montreal-based medical supplies distributor, for an undisclosed sum.

In December 2017, Medline completed its acquisition of Centurion Medical products.

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