Thorne Research Enters Agreement to Market Two Medical Devices

Thorne Research, Inc., a developer and manufacturer of nutritional supplements, is entering the medical device space.

The company has entered into a three-year non-exclusive co-marketing agreement with Itamar Medical Inc., to market the latter firm’s EndoPAT, a proprietary, U.S. Food and Drug Administration-cleared medical device for the assessment of arterial (endothelial) function, and WatchPAT, a unique home-based sleep test to diagnose obstructive sleep apnea.
 
Under the agreement, Thorne Research will receive marketing rights for the EndoPAT and WatchPAT® devices and related disposables (finger probes) in the United States. Thorne Research will incorporate EndoPAT and WatchPAT training materials into its training events for healthcare practitioners, which also provide information on its TruCardia line of nutritional supplement products to support cardiovascular health.
 
Paul Jacobson, CEO of Thorne Research and WellnessFX, said, “We are extremely excited to work with Itamar Medical to bring additional solutions to healthcare practitioners and their patients. Our practitioner network will now be able to provide patients with science-backed products based on their individual EndoPAT and WatchPAT test results. This will result in broader solutions through our practitioner network and WellnessFX. Our ultimate goal is to offer practitioners and patients a full diagnostic health dashboard and assume the leadership position in personalized medicine.”

The feeling was mutual on Itamar’s part.

“We are proud to have Thorne Research as our first partner in reaching the integrative and naturopathic practitioner channels. With increasing numbers of leading practitioners adopting the EndoPAT device, and scientific publications demonstrating its importance in predicting future cardiac events beyond conventional tests and tools, the device is now ready for widespread clinical use,” Gilad Glick, CEO of Itamar Medical, said.
 
The Hypertension Institute, under the direction of Mark Houston M.D., M.S., MSc, and Thorne Research have jointly developed the TruCardia line of nutritional supplements for the support of cardiovascular health. The Hypertension Institute and Thorne Research  now are collaborating with Itamar to provide cardiovascular research services and clinical evaluation to healthcare practitioners for the early identification of cardiovascular issues that will direct optimal support and related therapies.
 
“EndoPAT is the most accurate non-invasive test to determine endothelial function,” Houston said. “The combination of these modalities will dramatically improve the ability to support the cardiovascular health of patients, particularly endothelial and mitochondrial function. This new venture will also help healthcare professionals better detect and treat patients with reduced endothelial function, which is considered an early marker for atherosclerosis.”

The EndoPAT device is an FDA-cleared medical device indicated for measuring endothelial (arterial) function. The EndoPAT test is non-invasive and simple, similar to having blood pressure tested (both use a standard blood pressure cuff) and can be performed in a healthcare practitioner’s office. It measures endothelial (arterial) health and provides reliable results in 15 minutes.
 
The endothelium is the thin layer of cells that line the blood vessels. When these cells do not function properly, known as endothelial dysfunction, the arteries begin to lose the ability to supply more blood to the heart muscle when needed. Insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle can cause chest pain and other symptoms, such as shortness of breath, and can eventually lead to more serious cardiovascular issues when not properly managed.
 
With locations in Sandpoint, Idaho, and New York, N.Y., Thorne Research employs more than 250 people.