Lenoss Medical’s Mission: Placing natural bone where new bone is needed most
Founded by visionary inventor and President & CEO Dom Messerli, the Lenoss Medical team consists of proven industry professionals supported by a trusted advisory group of clinical experts all with a common goal of advancing the mission toward a physiological treatment pathway. With a philosophy that ingenuity lies in simplicity, Lenoss is pioneering the first biological implant, intended to directly stabilize the damaged vertebrae while delivering osteoinductive and osteoconductive technology for the development of new bone and long-term healing of the spine.
The OsteoPearl implants, with flexible links between the pearls, consist of 100% allograft cortical bone, designed to create a 3-D Cortical Structural Matrix for immediate stability while introducing both osteoinductive and osteoconductive properties. This stimulates healing and new bone growth, for the long-term health of the patient, while avoiding all the complications associated with traditional cement kyphoplasty. This innovation, paired with a streamlined and intuitive surgical procedure for maximum workflow efficiency, combines to deliver natural bone where new bone is needed most and to address potential shortcomings with the traditional VCF surgical treatment: lack of new bone formation and risk of cement leakage.
One in five vertebral compression fracture (VCF) procedures result in cement leaking out of the vertebrae and, in some cases, flowing into the bloodstream. Even in the hands of the most experienced surgeons, cement migration can end up in the heart, lungs, and press against the spinal cord, creating health risks - including pulmonary hypertension and heart surgery. This poses particular concern for osteoporosis patients, who are likely to already suffer from heart and lung issues. The biological innovation of the OsteoPearl provides an elegant solution to this concerning problem.
How NEMIC Became a Pivotal Partner for Lenoss
Dom Messerli joined NEMIC as our first-ever co-worker in 2018. He quickly became a massive asset to the ecosystem due to his extensive domain knowledge, and his background as the director of product development at DePuy Synthes—the orthopedic arm of Johnson & Johnson. Messerli’s introduction to NEMIC came when he enrolled as a student in the inaugural year of our Med Tech Leadership Program—NEMIC’s signature education course. Messerli was able to fill in the missing pieces of Lenoss Medical’s business plan and was soon accepted into the NEMIC’s Activate Program. This accelerator, supported by Rhode Island Commerce, awarded Messerli with $20,000 in funds to support the setup of Lenoss’ clinical trial site.
Lenoss Medical successfully raised funds of $200,000 as a direct result of the milestones achieved through NEMIC programming. The startup has since raised a total of $2.5 million from regional venture capital groups, including the Slater Technology Fund, Cherrystone Angel Group, MagpieX Med Tech Ventures, Walnut Ventures, Beacon Angels, River Valley Investors, and Mr. Hansjörg Wyss. In 2023, Lenoss was awarded more than $49,000 via an Innovation Voucher funded by Rhode Island Commerce; and additionally, more than half of the $4 million of Lenoss’ most recent round of Series A funding has been committed.
Dom Messerli continues to lead Lenoss Medical within the NEMIC’s co-working space, where he is a valued asset to the Med Tech community. He has hired several independent contractors and staff members to his team whom he met through the NEMIC network of Med Tech industry experts. Today, Messerli is one of many expert instructors in the Med Tech Leadership Program, where he teaches Due Diligence 101 to new cohorts of aspiring entrepreneurs and industry professionals.