Privi Medical Pte Ltd, co-founded by Duke-NUS alumnus Dr Rena Dharmawan together with Mr Prusothman S. Raja and Dr Benjamin Tee, has received FDA clearance for its InstaliefTMHaemorrhoids Treatment device. InstaliefTM is a drug-free device that provides hassle-free, instant cold relief for users in the privacy of their own homes. The added benefits of being disposable further enables a clean and comfortable experience for users. The InstaliefTM product is cleared for adult use.

 

“Obtaining regulatory clearance was one of our major milestones, it validates the safety and application of the product,” said Dr Dharmawan.

 

Haemorrhoids or piles is a condition caused by swollen veins in the anal canal. Patients with risk factors such as obesity, constipation and pregnancy are at a higher risk of having symptomatic haemorrhoids. The National Institute of Health estimates that 75% of adults will suffer from haemorrhoidal symptoms at some point in their lives. The symptoms include bleeding, pain and discomfort in the anal canal that greatly affects the quality of the patient’s life. InstaliefTM hopes to reduce bleeding and soothe pain caused by Grade 1 and 2 haemorrhoids from the comforts of home. 

 

InstaliefTM was developed from close and detailed identification of an unmet clinical need and treatment gap in the currently available treatments for haemorrhoids. The current treatment options such as drug-based ointments and suppositories have limited effectiveness. Furthermore, the active ingredients in these products, such as corticosteroids and epinephrine can potentially cause long-term side effects.

 

“After extensive research and speaking to numerous haemorrhoid sufferers, our team noticed that many of them are extremely troubled by the symptoms, but yet not keen to keep seeking treatment from their physicians every time their symptoms occur. In addition, most prefer a drug-free solution and not want to do any invasive procedures for their piles. With this, we set out to develop a safe and effective treatment for bleeding and pain in patients with early stage haemorrhoids in the comfort of their homes,” shares Dr Dharmawan.

 

Currently, a General Surgery Senior Resident at Singapore General Hospital, Dr Dharmawan attained a biomedical engineering degree before she joined the inaugural batch of Duke-NUS Medical School in 2011. During her third year of residency, she was one of four nationally-selected individuals to be part of the Singapore-Stanford Biodesign Fellowship, a programme designed to nurture medical device innovators. It was through this programme that Privi Medical was spun out.

 

“Rena is a perfect example of the kind of doctor we aim to train at Duke-NUS:  doctors who not only practice medicine, but improve the practice of medicine through research, education and innovation. Rena is a budding clinician leader and will help advance patient-centred care through creative design,” said Associate Dean of Student Affairs & Alumni Relations Dr Mara McAdams.