EastMed Inc. is a medical manufacturing company dedicated to inventing and bringing to market medical innovations that cater specifically to women's health. The company developed the uresta™ Continence Care Kit, a product designed to help women control stress urinary incontinence (SUI) through self-management.

EastMed’s product successfully passed clinical trials demonstrating an ability to considerably reduce incontinence in trial users. The company has also received a Canadian Medical Device License from Health Canada, a U.S. patent, ISO world class quality certification for its innovative device, and  has received FDA clearance to market its flagship product, uresta™ Continence Care, in the U.S.

About six years ago, armed with a patented design for a product capable of transforming the market for SUI products, Dr. Scott Farrell incorporated EastMed. He started the medical device company in response to the lack of effective methods for treating women suffering from SUI.

A renowned urogynecologist at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, Dr. Farrell had the medical expertise to develop innovative products, but needed someone with business savvy to help get the business off the ground. That’s where Dave Alward came into the picture as vice president of business development. Alward, a friend of Dr. Farrell’s, brought with him over 20 years of experience in the information technology industry. Dr. Farrell also recruited his wife Karen, with an extensive background in clinical research, to be the company’s vice president of regulatory affairs and health education.

Like many entrepreneurial ventures starting out, the team at EastMed raised an initial round of financing from friends and family to fund their start-up. The company then began work on a business plan, a branding concept, a marketing strategy, and feasibility and market studies. With a solid patented product, EastMed was poised for success.

When it first became involved with Innovacorp, EastMed was working through the crucial steps to move its innovation towards the ultimate goal of commercialization. Farrell and his team were confident that a large market existed for their product and that they were ready and able to tap into it.

Innovacorp provided EastMed with not only physical incubation space, but also the hands-on business guidance the company needed to move swiftly towards commercialization. Working one-on-one with a senior advisor of business ventures at Innovacorp, EastMed refined its business plan, strengthened its value proposition, strategized for the company’s future and learned how to pitch to and attract investors.

Innovacorp’s confidence in EastMed is undeniably reflected in its participation in a $1.5 million investment along with BDC Venture Capital’s Technology Seed Investments fund, a division of the Business Development Bank of Canada. Ever since publicly announcing this round of venture capital, EastMed has been receiving significant attention. The company has also received assistance from other valuable resources along the way such as the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

For EastMed, Innovacorp acted as not only an advisor, but also a sounding board, ready and willing to listen when the company needed a knowledgeable ear. So solid is the relationship between EastMed and Innovacorp that Dr. Farrell and Alward think of Innovacorp as a virtual member of the team. Today, Innovacorp continues to play an advisory role with the company as an active member of the board of directors.

Equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge, EastMed successfully launched its uresta™ Continence Care Kit in October 2007, and is now preparing for a Canada-wide product launch. The company is currently focused on pharmacy awareness and consumer education and is aggressively exploring international markets.

With an experienced management team behind it, EastMed is on the brink of great success as it prepares to launch it uresta™ Continence Care Kit Canada-wide and beyond.

Click here to watch a brief video about EastMed.