Cast21

Cast21 is a medical device company that develops an orthopedic immobilization net intended as an alternative to traditional plaster and fiberglass casts. Its flagship, patented product is a two-part system: a flexible hollow sleeve made of a blend of medical-grade materials that is pulled over the limb like a glove, and an external pack containing a proprietary liquid resin that is transferred into the sleeve, where it cures rapidly into a rigid, molded structure. Application is described as a three-step, roughly three-minute process (slide, fill, finish) requiring no water, heat, light, or additional equipment, and removal does not require a cast saw.

The device's open lattice geometry is presented as breathable and waterproof, allowing showering, swimming and other water exposure, and is positioned to reduce cast-related skin problems such as itching, dermatitis, odor and infection. The sleeve can be worn for over eight weeks and comes in a range of ambidextrous sizes for pediatric, adult and geriatric patients; multiple color options that cure to gradient mixes are offered. The company states the product is FDA listed, does not use 3D printing, and performs as well as or better than conventional casting. Published customer case studies cover uses including scaphoid non-union, wrist and distal radial fractures, and post-surgical immobilization after ganglion cyst removal, at settings such as academic medical centers, hospital trauma centers, hand specialty departments and DME providers.

Business model

Cast21 sells its immobilization net system to healthcare providers rather than directly to patients; the product is not available for purchase from the manufacturer and requires a licensed healthcare provider. The company certifies clinical teams in-person, virtually or remotely and only refers patients to clinicians certified to use its technology. Distribution also runs through authorized partners, and for U.S. government purchasers through an authorized partner networked with a Service-Disabled, Veteran-Owned Small Business.

Revenue comes from provider purchases of the sleeve-and-pack system in a range of sizes, with no upfront capital equipment required by the clinic. The company states that private and public payers reimburse for the device, with coverage varying by patient plan and state, and it also offers self-pay options for patients through authorized partners.

Traction

The FDA-listed device is described as in use worldwide; the site lists certified clinics via a store locator and patient and clinician testimonials from multiple U.S. states, published case studies from providers in Washington DC, Indiana, Illinois and Mississippi, and states that private and public payers are reimbursing claims.