Beyond Air, Inc. has submitted a premarket approval (PMA) supplement application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for LungFit PH II, the next-generation therapeutic nitric oxide generator designed to address critical limitations in current hospital-based nitric oxide delivery systems.
The commercial-stage medical device company announced that the LungFit PH II system has been developed to be smaller, lighter, and fully transport-ready while delivering all the breakthrough features of the currently FDA-approved version. According to Steve Lisi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Beyond Air, "We are pleased to announce that development of our transport-ready LungFit PH II has resulted in a NO system which we believe is far superior to legacy systems currently available in the market."
Enhanced Design Features
The new system incorporates substantial feedback from respiratory therapists across the country, resulting in a reduced weight and footprint, simplified operation, longer service interval, and full compatibility with both air and ground transport. The device includes an automated backup system that retains most primary system capabilities.
LungFit PH II uses the same Smart Filter and accessories as the first-generation device, ensuring continuity, streamlined logistics, and minimal disruption for existing customers. Each Smart Filter provides 12 hours of therapy regardless of ventilator demands and can be replaced in seconds for uninterrupted treatment.
Patented Technology Platform
The LungFit PH platform utilizes Beyond Air's patented Ionizer technology to generate unlimited on-demand nitric oxide from ambient air. The system uses the equivalent power of a 60-watt lightbulb to ionize nitrogen and oxygen molecules, forming nitric oxide with low levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) created as a byproduct. The gas then passes through a Smart Filter, which removes the toxic NO2 from the internal circuit.
For the treatment of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), the system is designed to deliver NO doses consistent with the current standard of care for delivery of 20 ppm NO, with a range of 0.5 ppm – 80 ppm for ventilated patients.
Addressing Critical Medical Need
PPHN represents a significant clinical challenge, characterized as a lethal condition secondary to failure of normal circulatory transition at birth. The syndrome is characterized by elevated pulmonary vascular resistance that causes labile hypoxemia due to decreased pulmonary blood flow and right-to-left shunting of blood.
The incidence of PPHN has been reported as 1.9 per 1,000 live births (0.4-6.8/1,000 live births) with a mortality rate ranging between 4-33%. This syndrome complicates the course of about 10% of infants with respiratory failure and remains a source of considerable morbidity and mortality.
Current Treatment Landscape
Low concentration inhaled NO therapy has been the standard-of-care for PPHN for over 20 years in the United States. NO gas is a vasodilator approved in dozens of countries to improve oxygenation and reduce the need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in term and near-term (>34 weeks gestation) neonates with hypoxic respiratory failure associated with clinical or echocardiographic evidence of pulmonary hypertension in conjunction with ventilator support and other appropriate agents.
Market Expansion Strategy
Lisi expressed confidence that "the introduction of LungFit PH II will play a pivotal role in accelerating our market expansion and advancing our position as a global leader in hospital-based NO delivery." The transport-ready design is expected to open the entirety of the NO market by addressing current limitations in patient mobility and treatment continuity.
The LungFit system could potentially replace large, high-pressure NO cylinders, providing significant advantages in the hospital setting, including greatly reducing inventory and storage requirements, improving overall safety by eliminating NO2 purging steps, and offering other operational benefits.
Beyond Air's LungFit PH is currently approved for commercial use in the United States, European Union, Australia, Thailand, and New Zealand, establishing a foundation for the next-generation system's market entry upon FDA approval.
