OBIO® supports Trexo Robotics to Help Young Patients Walk at McMaster Children’s Hospital

Thanks to the support from OBIO’s Life Sciences Critical Technologies and Commercialization (LSCTC) Centre of Excellence, Hamilton Health Sciences’ McMaster Children’s Hospital will now be using Trexo Plus to support patients with mobility issues, within its Developmental Pediatrics & Rehabilitation program.

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--In North America, 250,000 children are unable to walk due to central nervous system injuries or neurological conditions, such as cerebral palsy. An effective physical therapy for children with injuries or disabilities affecting their motor skills requires an innovative solution that can build muscle memory and stimulate neuroplasticity.

With support from OBIO®, Hamilton Health Sciences’ (HHS) McMaster Children’s Hospital has a new tool, the Trexo Plus, designed by Mississauga-based Trexo Robotics, to support patients needing pediatric rehabilitation. The adoption of this innovative technology was made possible through funding from Hamilton Health Sciences Foundation, alongside support from OBIO’s LSCTC Centre of Excellence. The aim is to understand the benefits of the Trexo Plus device on pediatric patients with mobility-related injury or disabilities receiving care at the hospital’s Ron Joyce Children’s Health Centre.

The Trexo Plus robotic legs allow children to walk with the postural support they need. The device may allow many patients to walk independently for the first time.

Trexo Plus was adopted with the support of OBIO’s LSCTC Centre of Excellence after a successful evaluation was completed at Alberta Health Services through the Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™) program. EAHN™ is supported by the Government of Canada through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), and LSCTC is supported by the Government of Ontario.

“Partnering with OBIO’s EAHN™ program and LSCTC Centre of Excellence, and HHS will help us to better understand the life-changing impact that we have seen Trexo have on children. We often hear powerful stories from parents about how this device has dramatically improved their child’s quality of life,” said Manmeet Maggu, CEO and Co-founder of Trexo Robotics.

“This partnership between OBIO®, Trexo Robotics, and Hamilton Health Sciences mobilizes Canadian expertise and innovation to deliver transformative healthcare solutions that improve the lives of children,” said the Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario. “The Government of Canada is supporting OBIO’s EAHN™ in driving forward groundbreaking initiatives like these—solutions that are actively strengthening the health of Canadians.”

The availability of this new robotic leg will contribute to enhancing pediatric physical therapy plans and help teams deliver care more effectively and efficiently.

Most importantly, it will allow children with mobility challenges to realize the benefits that come with walking. Typically, these benefits are better sleep, improved motility, increased confidence, weight control, and greater strength and endurance.

“This innovation is about more than technology—it’s opening doors to independence, confidence, and a better life by supporting the mobility of our youngest patients,” said Dr. Marc Jeschke, Vice President of Research and Innovation, HHS. “We’re pleased to be able to support our pediatric patients and their families in this way.”

This partnership brings together cutting-edge Canadian innovation and a shared commitment to improving the lives of children. As the Trexo Plus begins its journey at McMaster Children’s Hospital, families and clinicians alike will be watching, and walking, towards a more mobile future.

“This project is a powerful example of what is possible when made-in-Ontario innovation meets the needs of our healthcare system,” said Dr. Maura Campbell, President and CEO of OBIO®. “Trexo Plus is a life-changing technology that will give children with mobility challenges a chance to be more independent and confident. Through our LSCTC Centre of Excellence and EAHN™ programs, we are proud to have supported Trexo Robotics in bringing this remarkable solution to McMaster Children's Hospital.”

About Trexo Robotics

Trexo began with one uncle’s determination to help his nephew Praneit take his first steps. Manmeet Maggu and his co-founder, Rahul Udasi, built the first Trexo for Praneit, a device he still uses today. What started as a personal mission became a business fueled by the belief that every kiddo who wants to walk, should be able to. “It was never about the technology,” said Maggu. “It was always about the health, smiles, and joy. It’s about the determination kiddos show every time they take a step. The story has always been about them,” Maggu said. Today, thanks to a growing community of supporters, children using Trexo, both at home and in clinics, have taken over 123 million steps. That’s the equivalent of walking around the Earth more than five times. And they’re just getting started. Learn more about Trexo here or visit Instagram or LinkedIn.

About Hamilton Health Sciences’ McMaster Children’s Hospital

Hamilton Health Sciences’ McMaster Children’s Hospital (MCH) has been providing comprehensive care to children from across South-Central Ontario since 1988. Here, patients from infancy to 17 receive care through a family-centred approach that accounts for the child’s emotional, mental and physical well-being. The hospital is home to the fastest-growing kids-only emergency department in Ontario, Canada’s largest neonatal intensive care unit, and Ontario’s largest inpatient child and youth mental health unit. It offers a full range of programs and clinics with unique expertise in a number of areas including children’s cancer, digestive diseases, orthopedics, rehabilitation, neurosurgery and mental health. To learn more, visit: www.hamiltonhealthsciences.ca/mcmaster-childrens-hospital.

About OBIO®

Founded in 2009, OBIO^® is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization dedicated to advancing health technology innovation and commercialization. OBIO® is prioritizing the evaluation of new technologies through its Early Adopter Health Network (EAHN™), supported by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), and focusing on implementing new solutions using critical technologies through its Life Sciences Critical Technologies & Commercialization (LSCTC) Centre of Excellence, supported by the Government of Ontario. OBIO® is engaged in strategy, programming, policy development and advocacy to address the needs of the next generation of companies developing innovative human health products. For more information, please visit OBIO.ca and follow OBIO® on LinkedIn and X.

About FedDev Ontario

For 16 years, the Government of Canada, through FedDev Ontario, has worked to advance and diversify the southern Ontario economy through funding opportunities and business services that support innovation, growth and job creation in Canada’s most populous region. The Agency has delivered impressive results, which can be seen in southern Ontario businesses that are creating innovative technologies, improving productivity, growing revenues, creating jobs, and in the economic advancement of communities across the region. Learn more about the impact the Agency is having in southern Ontario by exploring our investment profiles, our Southern Ontario Spotlight, and FedDev Ontario’s X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn accounts.