Why invest in Askel Healthcare?

Joint preservation is the future of orthopedics. Over 650 million people suffer from knee joint degradation globally. The key drivers for growth are aging populations, escalating obesity and the desire for more active years in a lifetime. Early interventions to preserve joint structures and stop degradation are in paramount need. (1)

Askel’s COPLA® solution has been designed to answer the key unmet needs of surgical cartilage repair:

Science-based solution: The product is based on multidisciplinary academic research.
Universal product: Can be used from small to large lesions at various stages of degenerative joint disease.
Surgical simplicity: Implanted in a single surgical procedure with an easy-to-adapt technique using existing instruments.
Affordability: An off-the-self product with favorable production economics guarantee affordable pricing.
Patient benefits: The exclusive promise of immediate full weight-bearing of the operated leg after surgery provides patients with early rehabilitation and a faster recovery.
Joint preservation: Early intervention can preserve the damaged joint surface and postpone, or even eliminate the need for, total knee replacement surgery. The economic benefits to health are evidently extensive.

Large and Growing Market

The market for surgical knee cartilage repair is large and growing; over 650 000 surgeries are performed in the US annually and the global market is also rapidly evolving. We believe we have a product that fits this global need, and therefore we aim to become the global standard for surgical cartilage repair. We can serve this market with our propriety and industrially scalable in-house production capability. (2)

We are applying for funding for clinical validation and market authorizations in the EU and the US.

Product development in the medical field is time and resource consuming, controlled by the authorities and involves significant risks. Turnover only begins to accumulate after the product has been subjected to the necessary tests to demonstrate compliance with the requirements and has received regulatory approval.

1 Aiyong, C., Huizi, L., Dawei, W., Junlong, Z., Yufeng, C., Huading, L. (2022). Global, regional prevalence, incidence and risk factors of knee osteoarthritis in population-based studies. The Lancet Discovery Science, Volume 29, 100587.
2 Mosley, J., et al. (2002). A Controlled Trial of Arthroscopic Surgery for Osteoarthritis of the Knee. N Engl J Med 2002; 347:81-88.