International Patent Grants for Pain Management Technology

Plextek and Remedee Labs Celebrate International Patent Grants for Pain Management Technology

Plextek and Remedee Labs, the French healthtech start-up, are proud to announce that patents covering key aspects of the millimetre-wave antenna technology at the heart of Remedee’s endorphin-stimulating wristband have been granted in China, Europe, and the United States. The device has since become the first CE-marked medical device in Europe approved for the treatment of chronic pain.

Plextek engineers Dr James Henderson and Dr Marcus Walden are named as co-inventors on the patents alongside Remedee’s own team, reflecting the depth of the collaboration between the two organisations.

From engineering challenge to granted patent

Remedee Labs approached Plextek to review and redesign the mmWave antenna system integrated into their wristband. The device works by delivering a precisely controlled signal within the 60 GHz band into the superficial layer of the skin at the wrist, stimulating nerve endings and triggering the brain’s natural release of endorphins – the body’s own pain-management mechanism.

The original antenna design had uneven and ineffective signal distribution, meaning some areas of the treatment zone received too much or too little energy. Plextek’s engineering team carried out a thorough design review involving literature survey, design calculations and electromagnetic simulation, before innovatively redeveloping the antenna with optimised element spacing, phasing, and transmission-line impedance matching. A biocompatible radome was also integrated to improve signal transmission into the skin.

The redesigned antenna achieved a tenfold increase in effect delivered while significantly improving field uniformity, and did so at reduced manufacturing cost, thanks to the use of cost-effective mmWave PCB materials, build process, and strategic PCB layout design.

It is this innovative, redesigned antenna system that is now protected by granted patents in Europe, the United States, and China.

A milestone in non-pharmaceutical pain management

The patented antenna technology has since been at the core of a rapid progression from clinical trials to market. Remedee Labs used devices incorporating the redesigned antenna in two major clinical studies; one for osteoarthritis (60 patients, CHU Grenoble-Alpes) and one for fibromyalgia (170 patients across eight French specialist centres), both of which demonstrated significant reductions in pain and improvements in quality of life.

On the strength of those results, the device received FDA Breakthrough Device Designation in the United States in 2022 and, in 2024, became the first CE-marked medical device in Europe approved for the treatment of fibromyalgia; a condition for which no specific treatment had previously been indicated. Two commercial products, NoviRem™ for osteoarthritis and FibroRem™ for fibromyalgia, launched on the French market in 2025.

A collaborative model for HealthTech innovation

Dr James Henderson, Lead Consultant at Plextek and co-inventor on the patent, said: “It’s immensely rewarding to see the technology we helped develop go on to achieve clinical validation and regulatory approval. When we started working on the antenna design, the goal was clear – to improve performance whilst considering manufacturing costs – but knowing that this work has contributed to a device that is now helping people manage chronic pain without medication makes it particularly meaningful.”

“For us, this international protection is a strong signal sent to healthcare professionals and patients alike: the technology at the heart of our devices is recognised, validated, and now protected across three continents. It is a decisive trust argument.” Quentin Richard, Head of Marketing, Remedee Labs

Mick Withers, Plextek’s SVP Business Development, added: “This patent grant is a tangible demonstration of the value our engineers bring to client partnerships. James and Marcus didn’t just optimise an antenna; they co-invented a core element of a certified medical wearable that is now changing lives. Delivering that level of performance within the low-SWaP constraints of a MedTech wearable, while working to ISO 13485 standards, is not straightforward, and it’s the kind of work we’re genuinely proud of. It’s a great example of what’s possible when deep engineering expertise meets ambitious HealthTech innovation.”

About the technology

The Remedee™ wristband contains a miniaturised millimetre-wave module that emits electromagnetic signals within the 60 GHz band. These waves penetrate less than 0.5 mm into the skin, stimulating subcutaneous nerve endings. In response, the brain releases endogenous opioids (endorphins), which modulate pain perception and have broader effects on sleep, fatigue, anxiety, and mood. The approach is non-invasive, and non-pharmaceutical.

“This patent protects the core technology that made our clinical results possible. The tenfold improvement in antenna performance was the turning point that allowed us to move from prototype to a CE-marked medical device, and ultimately to offer people living with chronic pain a genuine alternative to medication.” Remedee Labs

 

Patents granted are CN 115380436 B (granted 21 October 2025), EP 3890110 (granted 7 January 2026), and US 12,594,433 B2 (granted 7 April 2026). Patents owned by Remedee Labs. Plextek engineers Dr James Henderson and Dr Marcus Walden named as co-inventors.