The Future of MYOLYN

2020 was a turbulent year, to say the least. The country grappled with adversity ranging from political and racial turmoil to a global pandemic that devastated the economy and claimed hundreds of thousands of American lives – and millions of lives globally.

In response to shelter-in-place orders and social distancing guidelines issued to help contain the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus, our society has changed everything from how we work, eat, and shop to how we socialize, exercise, and receive healthcare. Physical therapy and rehabilitation are no exception.

Many neurological physical therapy clinics and rehabilitation hospitals are still closed or operating at reduced capacity, limiting patients’ options for continuing rehabilitation. As a result, patients are at risk of stalling or even regressing on their recovery journey. Patients who can still attend outpatient physical therapy must weigh the risks associated with in-person therapy. Many of these patients are particularly susceptible to the complications of COVID-19 because of underlying health conditions related to their spinal cord injury, stroke, or multiple sclerosis.

Unlike many businesses struggling to survive the pandemic, MYOLYN was extremely well-positioned to help our customers face this difficult situation. The company’s mission has always been to make FES therapies more accessible to the people who need them by creating innovative products that are affordable and easy-to-use. MYOLYN was founded to design, produce, distribute, and support our home FES therapy systems at scale so patients could obtain the rehab they need directly from their homes. In the face of this ongoing global pandemic, the need for access to state-of-the-art therapy at home is more urgent than ever. Despite the challenges faced in 2020, MYOLYN was able to help meet this need and make significant progress toward giving many more people the opportunity to receive the therapy they need from the convenience and safety of their home.

A Look Back at 2020

Commitment to Quality

At the beginning of 2020, MYOLYN’s quality management system was certified to the ISO 13485 international standard. This certification demonstrates the company’s ability to consistently provide its medical devices to meet both customer and regulatory requirements. This milestone strengthens MYOLYN’s commitment to quality and will help ensure the safety and efficacy of its products moving forward.

2020 Partnerships

In 2020 MYOLYN entered into two critical partnerships that are crucial to our mission and will accelerate the availability of the Company’s FES technologies. First, MYOLYN entered into a partnership with URO Medical Supplies (Uromed) to distribute MYOLYN’s products in Canada. Uromed is an experienced operator in neurological medical supply distribution and has already placed MyoCycle Pro systems in Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia.

Second, MYOLYN entered into a distribution partnership with ReWalk Robotics Inc (ReWalk). ReWalk is now a distributor of the MyoCycle Pro FES Cycling Therapy System throughout the US and a distributor of both the MyoCycle Home and the MyoCycle Pro to the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). ReWalk also distributes a robotic exoskeleton for people with paralysis due to spinal cord injuries and has established a national coverage policy with the VA for their exoskeleton systems.

In 2021 MYOLYN will focus on maximizing the support of these partnerships by ensuring that its clients have the necessary support, resources, and training to help those in need of MYOLYN’s FES therapies.

Looking Forward into 2021

At the end of 2020, MYOLYN was awarded a Small Business Technology Transfer grant from the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development. The contract is for a project aimed at exploring the commercial feasibility of a functional electrical stimulation (FES) enabled rowing system. The system will allow people with paralysis to perform vigorous full-body exercise and prevent secondary complications. The project is undertaken in collaboration with Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital.

In 2020 MYOLYN also began working on some other exciting R&D projects that will hopefully be available later in 2021.

The Future of MYOLYN

2020 was a challenging year for all of us, but we are starting to see the light at the end of this dark tunnel. The FDA has approved multiple vaccines to fight the coronavirus, and the nation has begun to adapt to living with this new threat. We believe that MYOLYN, like the nation, is tough, tenacious, and poised for success moving into this new year. MYOLYN would not be what it is today without the support of our employees, investors, partners, friends, and families. We are proud to help people improve their health and quality of life during these difficult times and am excited to continue to achieve this mission in 2021 and beyond.