NEWTOWN, Pa., Feb. 15, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Helius Medical Technologies (NASDAQ: HSDT), a neurotech company focused on delivering a novel therapeutic neuromodulation approach for balance and gait deficits, announced today that it will be showcasing its breakthrough Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS®) technology at the American Physical Therapy Association Combined Sections Meeting (CSM). At this year’s CSM, the nation’s largest meeting venue for rehabilitation therapists, Helius will not only inform on the benefits of PoNS Therapy but, for the first time, offer on-site training to teach physical therapists how to apply it.
From Feb. 23-25, 2023, visitors to booth 1101 at the San Diego Convention Center will learn about Helius’s PoNS device, which delivers electrical impulses through nerve fibers on the tongue, stimulating the flow of neural impulses to brain structures that control gait and balance. This cascade of activity results in a neuromodulatory effect, essentially “rewiring” parts of the brain and, when combined with exercise, helps people with MS improve their ability to walk.
New this year will be a free PoNS professional training event exclusively for physical therapists. The 90-minute session, held on the exhibit floor, will enable attendees to return home as registered PoNS instructors, a step required to be able to treat patients with PoNS. This is an extraordinary and rare opportunity for in-person training with a Helius professional as PoNS training is routinely offered and independently performed online.
“We’re particularly thrilled to be at this year’s CSM. It’s the first time since we entered the market nine months ago that we have the opportunity to interact face-to-face with physical rehabilitation therapists, sharing scientific information and answering questions on the therapeutic benefits of treating MS patients with PoNS,” said Helius President and Chief Executive Officer Dane Andreeff. “In addition, offering on-site PoNS Therapy training to CSM attendees empowers them to go back home with the skillset to treat their patients with an innovative therapy, surely an added value from a patient’s perspective.”
This special PoNS Therapy training event will be held on Friday, Feb. 24, from 5:00-6:30 p.m., at booth 1101. Helius’ Director of Physical Therapy Whitney Patrickson, DPT, will teach attendees how to use the PoNS device and PoNS software. Dr. Patrickson will offer physical therapists, physiatrists, and occupational therapists insights on how to leverage their own expertise to maximize PoNS Therapy’s effectiveness, structure exercise regimens tailored to each patient, and supervise patients throughout the required 14 weeks of therapeutic activity. The session is free but interested physical therapists must register at the booth or online beforehand at https://www.ponstherapy.com/pons-professional-training-at-apta/. Attendance is limited to the first 30 people to sign up.
“All conferences and professional meetings offer attendees the opportunity to expand their knowledge. Those who visit CSM booth 1101 can go beyond learning and actually do something that lets them leave the conference with a tangible skillset to add to their therapeutic toolbox,” Andreeff said.
About Helius Medical Technologies, Inc.
Helius Medical Technologies is a leading neurotech company in the medical device field focused on neurologic deficits using non-implantable platform technologies that amplify the brain’s ability to compensate and promote neuroplasticity, improving the lives of people dealing with neurologic diseases. The Company’s first commercial product is the Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS®) device. For more information about the PoNS® or Helius Medical Technologies, visit www.heliusmedical.com.
About the PoNS Device and PoNS Therapy
The Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS) is an innovative non-surgical medical device, inclusive of a controller and mouthpiece, which delivers electrical stimulation to the surface of the tongue to improve balance and gait. The PoNS device is indicated for use in the United States as a short-term treatment of gait deficit due to mild-to-moderate symptoms from multiple sclerosis (“MS”) and is to be used as an adjunct to a supervised therapeutic exercise program in patients 22 years of age and over by prescription only. Helius is advancing PoNS post-approval research in MS through a recently launched Therapeutic Experience Program (TEP).
PoNS is also authorized for sale in Canada for two indications: (i) for use as a short-term treatment (14 weeks) of chronic balance deficit due to mild-to-moderate traumatic brain injury (“mmTBI”) and is to be used in conjunction with physical therapy; and (ii) for use as a short term treatment (14 weeks) of gait deficit due to mild and moderate symptoms from MS and is to be used in conjunction with physical therapy. PoNS is also authorized for sale in Australia for short term use by healthcare professionals as an adjunct to a therapeutic exercise program to improve balance and gait. For more information visit www.ponstherapy.com.
About the American Physical Therapy Association
The American Physical Therapy Association represents 100,000 physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, and students of physical therapy nationwide. Visit www.apta.org to learn more.
Cautionary Disclaimer Statement
Certain statements in this news release are not based on historical facts and constitute forward-looking statements or forward-looking information within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Canadian securities laws. All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements are often identified by terms such as “believe,” “expect,” “continue,” “will,” “goal,” “aim” and similar expressions. Such forward-looking statements include, among others, statements regarding the onsite training for physical therapists, and performance of the Company’s PoNS device.
There can be no assurance that such statements will prove to be accurate and actual results and future events could differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company’s expectations include uncertainties associated with the Company’s capital requirements to achieve its business objectives, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company’s ability to train physical therapists in the supervision of the use of the PoNS Treatment, the Company’s ability to secure contracts with rehabilitation clinics, the Company’s ability to obtain national Medicare coverage and to obtain a reimbursement code so that the PoNS device is covered by Medicare and Medicaid, the Company’s ability to build internal commercial infrastructure, secure state distribution licenses, build a commercial team and build relationships with Key Opinion Leaders, neurology experts and neurorehabilitation centers, market awareness of the PoNS device, future clinical trials and the clinical development process, manufacturing and supply chain risks, the product development process and FDA regulatory submission review and approval process, other development activities, ongoing government regulation, and other risks detailed from time to time in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, and its other filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission and the Canadian securities regulators, which can be obtained from either at www.sec.gov or www.sedar.com.
The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from such statements except to the extent required by law.
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