A Singapore-developed device that strengthens muscles and reduces pain using magnetic pulses has received clinical approval in both Singapore and the US.
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| Singapore’s QMT device, which strengthens muscles and aids recovery through magnetic pulses, has been approved for clinical use in Singapore and the US. Photo Courtesy: ST |
Singapore — March 10, 2025:
A Singapore-developed medical device that strengthens muscles and reduces pain using magnetic pulses has received clinical approval in both Singapore and the US, paving the way for its introduction in hospitals and rehabilitation centres, reports ST.
Known as Quantum Mitohormesis (QMT), the device stimulates and regenerates muscle cells, mimicking the effects of exercise. It builds on the earlier Bixeps device but is more advanced, featuring a portable design suitable for bed-bound patients.
Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has approved QMT for rehabilitation, including improving muscle strength, reducing pain, and aiding post-surgery recovery. The approval covers its lower intensity setting, which is similar to Bixeps. Meanwhile, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved both intensity levels for prescription use in enhancing muscle performance and preventing muscle deterioration.
Kwong Wai Shiu Hospital will be among the first in Singapore to receive the device, with the initial batch of 30 units expected in about four months. The hospital’s CEO, Dr Mok Ying Jang, noted that approximately 900 of its 1,100 inpatients undergo rehabilitation, and he hopes QMT can help slow the progression of sarcopenia, a condition that leads to muscle loss in older adults.
A clinical trial of Bixeps conducted by the Chinese University of Hong Kong and Prince of Wales Hospital found that after two 10-minute sessions per week for eight weeks, patients’ functional abilities improved by 20%, while pain levels decreased by 30%. Currently, around 30 senior centres in Singapore use Bixeps to help elderly patients maintain muscle strength.
QMT has also been used at Singapore General Hospital (SGH) for two years to support patients with sarcopenia and osteoarthritis. Orthopaedic surgeon Tay Boon Keng, who introduced the device at SGH, said patients have shown increased grip strength following treatment. He praised QMT as a non-invasive therapy that aids recovery, particularly for post-surgery patients.
Developed by Associate Professor Alfredo Franco-Obregon, who brought an early version of the device from ETH Zurich when he joined the National University of Singapore more than a decade ago, QMT works by generating magnetic pulses that activate mitochondria in muscle cells. This triggers a metabolic response, releasing myokines—proteins that promote muscle regeneration.
Dr Mok noted that QMT’s portability makes it especially beneficial for bed-bound patients, such as 81-year-old retired teacher Michael Mahendran, who suffered a stroke seven years ago and lost his ability to walk. The hospital hopes the device will help him regain some arm strength, improving his mobility and independence.
With one QMT machine, approximately 160 patients can each receive a 10-minute session per week over 12 weeks. The hospital plans to prioritise mobile patients initially and aims to acquire more devices if funding permits.