Q30 Innovations is a research and development company whose mission is to aid in the protection of the brain from the effects of head impacts on the sports field and the battlefield. Since 2012, Q30 has been working with leading medical, academic, engineering and design institutions to research and develop the Q-Collar, an externally worn device designed to help protect the brain from head impacts. The Q-Collar has not yet received FDA clearance and is currently not available for purchase in the United States.
THE BRAIN INJURY EPIDEMIC
The prevalence of brain injuries in athletes and soldiers indicates a clear need for new, innovative solutions that seek to reduce the risk and severity of such injuries.
BRAIN INJURIES IN SPORTS
Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate the yearly incidence of sports- and recreation-related brain injuries in the U.S. to be between 1.6 and 3.8 million. Increasingly, there is growing concern in the sports medicine community around the effects of smaller, repeated head impacts, also known as RHI.
BRAIN INJURIES IN THE MILITARY
Military personnel, whether in training or conflict environments, are also impacted significantly. According to the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center, more than 333,000 U.S. service members have been diagnosed with brain injuries since 2000. These injuries are typically a result of head impacts and blast waves.
THE Q-COLLAR
INTENDED TO PROVIDE AN ADDED LAYER OF PROTECTION AGAINST INJURIES CAUSED BY HEAD IMPACTS
Q30 Innovations has developed the Q-Collar, a non-invasive device intended to be worn around the neck during sports activities to aid in the protection of the brain from the effects of head impacts. In imaging studies, use of the Q-Collar during sports activities reduced the occurrence of specific changes in the brain associated with brain injury. This reduction represents a probable benefit to Q-Collar wearers. The Q-Collar has not yet received FDA clearance and is currently not available for purchase in the United States.
Research & Development
Q30 Innovations has invested in more than 20 independent laboratory and clinical studies at leading research institutions to test the safety and efficacy of the Q-Collar.
Medical Device Classification
An application for the Q-Collar has been submitted by Q30 Innovations to the FDA. It would become one of the first pieces of sports equipment with FDA approval.
FDA Application Process
The Q-Collar’s application to the FDA for clearance to market the product in the United States was submitted in March of 2020 and the application is currently under active review by the agency.
Canada Commercialization
The Q-Collar is commercially available in Canada and is distributed there under license from Health Canada. Visit www.qcollar.ca to learn more.
FDA APPLICATION TIMELINE
THE Q-COLLAR STORY
The inspiration for the Q-Collar came from a team of doctors who recognized the limitations of external protection against TBI. Watch the video to see the full story.
SCIENCE
To date, the most common attempt to reduce head injuries has been the use of helmets. However, helmets do not prevent the movement of the brain within the skull, also known as “brain slosh.” Rapid acceleration and deceleration movement of the brain leads to the twisting and tearing of neurons, which is the cause of TBI.
The Q-Collar was designed to apply compressive force to the muscles around the jugular veins that leads to a temporary increase in intracranial blood volume. This increase in blood volume results in an expansion of the venous structures within the skull. We believe that this increase, in turn, holds the brain in a more stable state while the Q-Collar is being worn and reduces the ability of the brain to slosh inside the skull when exposed to head impacts.
Repeated hits to the head have been shown to result in structural changes to an athlete’s brain over the course of a season. Q30 Innovations is thinking beyond the helmet to find innovative ways to help address this issue.
The Science Behind the Q-Collar
Watch the video to see the science behind the Q-Collar.
Protection From Within
Hear from Dr. Julian Bailes, Chairman of Neurosurgery at Northshore University Hospital, discussing the Q-Collar’s intended ability to reduce the movement of the brain inside the skull.
Q30 & THE Q-COLLAR
Q30 Innovations, LLC, is a research and development company dedicated to developing innovative products intended to reduce brain injury. The Q-Collar has not yet received FDA clearance and is not available for purchase in the United States at this time.
© 2020 Q30 Innovations, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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