Belluscura, one of Tekcapital PLC’s (LON:TEK) portfolio companies, has filed for another patent for its X-PLOR portable oxygen concentrator ahead of its planned commercial launch later this year.
Tekcapital said Belluscura, in which it holds a 29% stake, has filed a broad patent application covering oxygen enrichment inventions relating to a portable artificial lung and wound care devices.
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The latest patent application, titled ‘Improved Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Device, System and Related Methods’, involves incorporating and expanding Belluscura’s existing oxygen enrichment patent portfolio into an innovative, next-generation portable artificial lung and a novel wound care treatment device.
“We are very excited about our next generation oxygen technology,” said Belluscura chief executive Bob Rauker.
“With the anticipated launch of our X-PLOR portable oxygen concentrator later this year into the respiratory treatment field where over 250mln people suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the third leading cause of death, it is critical that we continue to innovate into the ever-expanding oxygen therapy market.”
Tekcapital chairman Clifford Gross said he was “delighted” with the continued progress being made by the Belluscura team.
Portable oxygen generator market growing rapidly
Portable oxygen generators are designed to replace oxygen cylinders, which have been around for years but are cumbersome and can only carry a finite supply of oxygen.
By contrast, X-PLOR is much smaller, runs on batteries and will keep generating concentrated oxygen as long as it has a charge.
The portable oxygen market has seen tremendous growth in the past few years and Belluscura estimates that the global market size will reach US$2.4bn within five years.
Tekcapital shares were unchanged at 5.4p on Tuesday.