JumpStart and Case Technology Ventures Invest in Neuros Medical

CLEVELAND, March 17 /PRNewswire/ -- JumpStart Inc., the Northeast Ohio venture
development organization that accelerates the progress of high growth
early-stage businesses, and Case Technology Ventures (CTV), a pre-seed stage
venture capital and technology validation fund at Case Western Reserve
University, recently announced an investment commitment of $375,000 in Neuros
Medical, Inc., a Cleveland, OH company commercializing neurostimulation
technology developed at Case Western Reserve University.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060209/CLJUMPSTARTLOGO )

Neuros' technology, which was created by Drs. Kevin Kilgore and Niloy Bhadra
of Case Western Reserve University's Department of Biomedical Engineering and
MetroHealth Medical Center, in partnership with the Cleveland FES (Functional
Electrical Stimulation) Center, is referred to as "Nerve Block" and delivers
high-frequency stimulation to sensory nerves in the peripheral nervous system
to block chronic pain. The system consists of an electrode (also known as a
lead) placed around a peripheral nerve and powered by a pace-maker size
generator that is implanted into the chest cavity, abdomen, or lower leg.
Because the generator operates in a much higher frequency range than
conventional neurostimulation devices, Neuros' technology is able to stop
nerve activity to block pain completely, as opposed to simply masking the pain
signal. Case has secured a patent for this unique high-frequency application
and has an additional 2 patents pending.

The company's initial target market is patients with chronic pain,
specifically residual limb pain, a common occurrence after undergoing limb
amputation due to vascular disease, circulatory issues, diabetes, cancer or
trauma-related events. According to Arch Phys Med Rehab Vol 86, Oct 2005, 68
to 76 percent of the 1.7 million U.S. patients who have undergone amputation
experience residual limb pain. This number is expected to double by 2050.

The company is currently conducting investigational studies and will use the
JumpStart and CTV investment to complete the testing.

"We are very excited to be providing funding that will help Neuros further
develop and test this unique treatment for chronic pain conditions," said Lee
Poseidon, the JumpStart Venture Partner who will be working with the company.
"We have been impressed with the Neuros team from the very beginning and look
forward to working collaboratively on this venture with so many
Cleveland-based health and research organizations such as Case and the
Cleveland FES Center."

The company's Chief Executive Officer, Jon Snyder, is a CEO-in-Residence at
BioEnterprise and Venture Partner at Arboretum Ventures with over 20 years of
experience in biomedical and healthcare sales, marketing, and operations. The
CEO-in-Residence program was funded by the Entrepreneurial Signature Program,
an initiative of Ohio's Third Frontier Project. The 10 year, $1.6 billion
Third Frontier Project is the state's largest ever initiative to expand Ohio's
high tech research capabilities, innovation commercialization, and company
formation, leading to high-paying jobs for generations to come.

"I'm excited about the investments from JumpStart and CTV," says Snyder. "It
allows us to further advance the Neuros technology towards our goal of market
introduction for patients suffering from chronic pain conditions including the
residual limb pain market. This investment recognizes the positive results of
our research, validates the potential in our technology, and supports our
continued clinical trial plans and commercialization efforts going forward.
It's very gratifying."

CWRU's Associate Vice President for Technology Management, Dr. Joseph
Jankowski stated "It's satisfying to see the intimate collaboration among
JumpStart, BioEnterprise and Case Western Reserve University's researchers and
commercialization leadership so quickly lead to this venture that portends to
impact the region in terms of health care and financial returns. Likewise,
the process of technology assessment, company launching and ultimate
technology validation was enabled by and will positively impact other
stakeholders including the FES Center and Ohio Neurostimulation
Neuromodulation Partnership and its regional for-profit partners."

This is JumpStart's 49th investment in its 38th company and its fourth direct
co-investment with CWRU's CTV Fund. Other healthcare companies in JumpStart's
portfolio include AcelleRX Therapeutics, AnalizaDx, CardioInsight
Technologies, CerviLenz, Freedom Meditech, Great Lakes Pharmaceuticals,
Synapse Biomedical, Tursiop Technologies, and VasoLux MicroSystems.
* * *
About Neuros Medical, Inc.
Neuros Medical, a Cleveland, Ohio based neurostimulation company, is focused
on developing neurostimulation therapies for unmet needs to patients
worldwide. The Company's platform technology, Nerve Block, provides patients
with elimination of chronic pain and spasticity in a variety of applications
including neuroma/residual limb pain with potential applications in cancer
pain, diabetic neuropathy, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, and stroke.

About JumpStart Inc.
JumpStart (www.jumpstartinc.org) is a nationally recognized venture
development organization that accelerates the progress of high potential,
early-stage businesses and includes a special focus on diverse entrepreneurs
working in the highest growth industries. Through the depth of its
entrepreneurial team and the breadth of its high value resources, JumpStart
improves client success in achieving significant milestones, including raising
the follow-on capital necessary to create wealth. JumpStart strives to create
a more prosperous future for Northeast Ohio. As part of its robust
public/private partnership model, JumpStart recognizes the integral support of
Ohio's Third Frontier Project, the state's largest-ever commitment to
expanding Ohio's high tech research, innovation, commercialization, and
company formation activities, which are increasing opportunities for all
Ohioans.

About Case Technology Ventures
Case Technology Ventures (CTV) is the pre-seed venture capital and technology
validation fund at Case Western Reserve University. CTV focuses on creating
new companies for the Northeast Ohio region by providing capital to pre-seed
stage companies based on intellectual property developed at Case and its
affiliate institutions. The fund was launched in November 2002 and invests
across technological boundaries. Financial support for CTV comes from Case
Western Reserve University and the State of Ohio's Third Frontier Project.

About Case Western Reserve University
Case Western Reserve University is among the nation's leading research
institutions. Founded in 1826 and shaped by the merger of the Case Institute
of Technology and Western Reserve University, Case is distinguished by its
strengths in education, research, service, and experiential learning. Located
in Cleveland, Case offers nationally recognized programs in the Arts and
Sciences, Dental Medicine, Engineering, Law, Management, Medicine, Nursing,
and Social Sciences.

About the Cleveland FES Center
The Cleveland FES Center is a consortium of three nationally recognized
institutions: the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, MetroHealth Medical
Center, and Case Western Reserve University. Through the support of these
partners, the Cleveland FES Center is able to provide a continuum of
advancement. The Cleveland FES Center strives to create a fertile environment
in which researchers, engineers, and clinicians work in collaboration to
develop technological solutions that improve the quality of life of
individuals with neurological or other muscular skeletal impairments through
the use of functional electrical stimulation and enables the transfer of this
technology into clinical deployment.

SOURCE JumpStart Inc.

Cathy Belk, Chief Marketing Officer, JumpStart Inc., +1-216-363-3400,
cathy.belk@jumpstartinc.org