MARBLEHEAD, Mass. & HOUSTON - Oct. 16, 2024 - PRLog -- FreezeNit, a MedTech company specializing in innovative lice treatments, has been awarded the prestigious $25,000 AAP SOATT Pediatric Device Prize by the Southwest National Pediatric Device Innovation Consortium (SWPDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section on Advances in Therapeutics and Technology (SOATT).

FreezeNit is developing a cutting-edge device which offers a fast, non-toxic treatment for head lice, utilizing cold CO2 gas to eradicate lice and their eggs (nits) in a single 15-minute, no-comb session. Designed specifically for pediatric patients, this device presents a safe and effective alternative to traditional over-the-counter treatments that often involve messy creams and tedious combing.

"We are honored to receive this recognition from AAP and SWPDC," said Joanna Shu, CEO of FreezeNit. "Our goal is to offer a safer, faster, and more convenient solution for families and healthcare providers dealing with lice infestations, and this award will help propel us forward in the FDA process and toward commercial launch."

FreezeNit is currently recruiting clinical trial sites to further validate the device's effectiveness in pediatric settings.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section on Advances in Therapeutics and Technology (SOATT) annually recognizes pediatric device innovation. A great need currently exists for medical devices designed specifically for children, which is most likely a result of economic, clinical, and regulatory challenges, as well as a lack of established mechanisms for joining pediatric device ideas with qualified individuals, programs, and industry partners to create innovative and needed pediatric devices.

SWPDC is one of the FDA-grant-supported Pediatric Device Consortia (PDC) that serves as a resource for pediatricians, pediatric caregivers, pediatric specialists, engineers, and entrepreneurs in developing their innovative pediatric medical devices. The annual SWPDC and AAP SOATT Pediatric Device Prizes were created to help foster the innovation of pediatric devices specifically designed for children.

In addition to FreezeNit, other recipients of the 2024 AAP SOATT x SWPDC Pediatric Device Prizes include:

• Enhance Diagnostics (Arkansas) for a breath-based diagnostic device to detect hyperammonemia and urea cycle disorders in pediatric patients.
• Exhalos (Arden Hills, MN) for a bedside breath-based monitoring device designed to detect necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in premature infants.
• PFRx (Children's Hospital Colorado) for a portable tool providing telehealth services to manage pediatric pelvic floor dysfunction.