ResMed
(NYSE: RMD)
announced today that it launched the AirFit F40 ultra-compact, full-face mask for sleep apnea.
San Diego-based ResMed designed AirFit F40 to offer the comfort of smaller masks without sacrificing performance. This could, in turn, help with sleep apnea therapy compliance for users of high-pressure continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment.
According to a news release, the mask addresses those issues with necessary pressure support in a more comfortable, low-profile way. The company aimed to make it ideal for those who sleep on their side, are claustrophobic and want the stability and seal of a universal-fit mask in a minimalist design.
ResMed said a clinical study found that 88% of patients rated AirFit F40’s mask cushion as soft and comfortable. On top of that, 100% found it easy to use.
The company said its key feature, the AdaptiSeal cushion, offers a 100% soft silicone material for maintaining a facial seal. It remains sealed even when moving around during sleep.
Additional features of the mask include a fully flexible frame for keeping the assembly away from the eyes and ears. The mask has a quick-release, short tube that reduces tube drag and offers a convenient way to detach and reattach during the night. Its headgear offers no top strap adjustment for easier setup and adjustment, plus the new textile material and color offers a more modern look.
“Most users prefer smaller and more streamlined masks, but traditional under-the-nose full-face masks can be challenging to fit properly, maintain a seal, and handle higher pressures. Our new AirFit F40 addresses this problem by offering the best of both worlds: an ultra-compact full-face mask with the high seal performance of an over-the-nose mask – bridging the gap between compactness and effectiveness in full-face masks,” said Justin Leong, ResMed chief product officer.
Another launch for ResMed — and potentially a key one
This launch follows last month’s rollout of the new AirCurve 11 series bilevel positive airway pressure devices in the U.S.
AirCurve 11 series as its newest range of bilevel devices that use two levels of support. They use inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP) and expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP). Combined with digital technology, AirCurve 11 was designed to help providers treat sleep apnea while patients start and stay on therapy.
While ResMed continues to innovate on the sleep apnea therapy front, the new mask design comes at the right time for the company. In January, the FDA deemed a voluntary recall of millions of ResMed CPAP mask magnets as Class I, the most serious kind.
The recall came after a warning over potential magnetic interference when magnets go near certain implants and medical devices in the body.
ResMed keeps pushing forward in the CPAP market, in which it now holds a larger market share thanks to Philips’ ongoing recall woes.