Canadian company Paperplane Therapeutics takes off

Virtual reality used for the vaccination campaign for 5 to 11 year olds

MONTREAL, November 30, 2021 / CNW Telbec / – Paperplane Therapeutics, a Quebecstart-up which develops therapeutic games in virtual reality, will be involved in the vaccination campaign for 5-11 year olds with its DREAM Solution. This innovation, which aims to help better manage pain and reduce anxiety in young patients during medical procedures, comes at the right time with the start of the vaccination campaign for young people.

DREAM contributes to the smooth running of the various treatments while reducing their duration. Paperplane Therapeutics is registered with Health Canada and meets marketing standards for safe Class 1 medical devices. Scientifically validated, its turnkey therapeutic solutions are the result of a university research project by the two founding members of the company, Jean-Simon Fortin, emergency doctor and David Paquin, full professor in the Department of Creation and New Media at the University of Quebec in Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT).

Choosing COVID-19 vaccination with virtual reality
Finished in September 2021, the clinical study conducted at the University Hospital Center (CHU) Sainte-Justine on the use of DREAM device with children from 7 to 17 years old shows very conclusive results: 80% of the patients felt less anxiety during the medical act, and 50% of them felt a significant decrease in pain, while 30% felt no pain at all. Vaccination with virtual reality is currently available in the Quebec province, among others, to the CISSS of Laval, the CIUSSS du Center-Ouest-de-ÃŽle de Montréal and the CIUSSS de l’Est-de-l’ÃŽle-de-Montréal, where the Vaccination Clinic at the Olympic Stadium is located.

“The device transports young patients to an immersive and multisensory universe, reducing their perception of pain and lightening the workload of nursing staff. The conclusion of our research could not have come at a better time and allows us to deploy DREAM today in vaccination centers. In addition, Clic Santé allows parents to inform health personnel that their child is experiencing vaccination anxiety, in which case the center can offer DREAM virtual reality solution, ”said Jean-Simon Fortin, President and CEO of Paperplane Therapeutics.

“DREAM is the culmination of five years of research and development and ideation in collaboration with the academic and medical sectors. We have seen a 100% acceptance rate of the product by medical staff. They did not want to return the devices at the end of the clinical study, ”the collaborator said. Sylvie Le May, professor and researcher at the CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center.

Paperplane Therapeutics has received funding totaling nearly half a million dollars to DREAM and counts UQAT, CHU Sainte-Justine, MEDTEQ, PARI CNRC and Investissement Québec among its main partners. The company also offers TO IMAGINE, which prepares children ages 5 to 17 for an MRI scan by reducing anxiety and fear surrounding the exam. Currently deployed at Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, the research project will begin in winter 2022. The company plans to complete a start-up round in early 2022.

About Paperplane Therapeutics
Paperplane Therapeutics was founded in 2019 by a visionary and experienced team. Combining strong expertise in medicine and interactive entertainment, the founders came together to design therapeutic virtual reality video games. Their objective? To tangibly improve the experience of caring for children and adolescents while undergoing medical treatment or procedures, in a clinic or hospital.

SOURCE Paperplane Therapeutics

For more information: Martine Robert,[email protected], 514-212-7812; Justin Meloche, [email protected], 514-995-9704