IRVINE, CA – Proportional Open Ventilation (POV^®) technology, and mobile ventilation therapy from Breathe Technologies, Inc., has been positively impacting patients’ lives for more than five years via the NIOV^® device, a non-life support, volume-assist therapy option.

Breathe’s first foray into the home life support ventilation market commenced late last year when the Irvine, Calif-based company successfully completed the regulatory and PDAC-approval process for the Life2000^® Ventilation System, and piloted the system in select markets in 2018.

Officials formally launched the product at Medtrade 2018. Medtrade Monday sat down with Larry Mastrovich, president and CEO, Breathe Technologies, Inc, to learn more about the reaction to Life2000, as well as Breathe’s plans for the future.

Medtrade Monday: What were some of your most interesting interactions at the recent Medtrade?

Mastrovich: Some of the most rewarding interactions were the direct result of the Life2000^® System being featured in the New Product Pavilion. Several prospective customers came to the Breathe booth for more info and product demonstrations after having seen the Life2000 on display at the pavilion.

Medtrade Monday: What are the misconceptions (if any) about ventilation and the Life2000 in particular?

Mastrovich: I feel that one of the greatest opportunities that Breathe has in 2019 is in the Life2000’s ability to challenge conventions concerning home NIV therapy. The traditional home NIV for CRF with COPD treatment convention has been to ventilate patients at night to help them decrease their CO₂ levels and rest their accessory muscles so that when they wake up in the morning, take off their NIV mask, and put on their oxygen cannula, they hopefully have a halo effect for a few hours to start their day feeling rested.

But we know with these patients, the moment they take off the NIV and put on the oxygen cannula and start to ambulate, the shortness of breath returns, the work of breathing increases, the CO₂ starts to gradually rise again. Oxygen alone is not enough for these patients at this point in their disease progression, because their daytime symptom burden is so high.

Medtrade Monday: How does the Life2000 address this situation?

Mastrovich: The Life2000^® is a complete paradigm shift in how we treat these patients. Our patients can wake up after a night of therapy, and simply walk to the bathroom or down the hall to the living room or kitchen, all the while continuing to be ventilated. COPD patients’ symptoms don’t just start at 10:00 p.m., so why not provide a therapy that can alleviate your patients’ symptoms when they are typically most severe, namely awake, during the day with activity.

Medtrade Monday: What are some of your plans for the future?

Mastrovich: The future product pipeline at Breathe is robust. As enthusiastic as we are about the launch of the Life2000^® Ventilation System, we are equally optimistic about where we will be able to take our proprietary Proportional Open Ventilation (POV^®) technology in all three phases of the future: short, mid, and long-term.

Medtrade Monday: What is the core focus for Breathe Technologies?

Mastrovich: Continual improvement of the Breathe user experience for both patients and home care partners is a core focus for us, so look for enhancements and new features centered around that mission.

Medtrade Monday: BREATHE is a familiar exhibitor at trade shows. Why do you believe face-to-face trade shows are still relevant and valuable in today’s modern world?

Mastrovich: The opportunity to engage live, in-real-time with current and prospective customers continues to hold tremendous value for manufacturers—particularly for companies such as Breathe, who are in the midst of launching such an innovative and uniquely differentiating product. HME providers want the opportunity to see and experience this novel therapy solution first-hand.