LENICURA (lat.: “lenitatis = gentleness”, “curatio = treatment”)

Like many innovations, LENICURA’s formation was motivated by a desire to help others, and an openness to developing new, effective methods, in the process. In 2011, Katharina Reinhard was running her own firm in the beauty industry and teaching at university. During a consultation with a client at her beauty firm, Ms. Reinhard got to know a patient suffering from hidradenitis suppurativa. The 44-year-old woman explained to Dr. Reinhard, how the disease had affected her, causing years of suffering, both physically and psychologically. After intensive research, Dr. Reinhard identified technologies used in instrument-based cosmetic procedures, which showed the potential to have a positive effect on stifling the progression of the disease. While the single components were well-researched with regard to other syndromes, the data basis for hidradenitis suppurativa was very limited – and only investigated in a few cases.
Dr. Reinhard convinced particle physicist Dr. Andreas Hafner from the University of Mainz, as well as human biologist Prof. Dr. rer. biol. hum. Stefan Zirn to participate in the research project. The duo’s in-depth knowledge about electromagnetic waves and medical engineering lead to the development of the lAight®-therapy and a specially designed apparatus for the treatments. A first documented test series confirmed a significant reduction of the symptoms of HS as a direct result of the lAight®-therapy. As positive results and feedback from patients began to rise, it became inevitable:

“All patients with hidradenitis suppurativa needed access to this effective and gentle form of treatment.”

Yet, the lAight®-therapy was not designed to be just an effective long-term treatment to reduce the symptoms of HS. Discussions with people suffering from HS had shown that because of the systemic and chronic nature of the illness, an effective interdisciplinary outpatient care system was also needed. To design and implement an extensive care-concept for patients and treating physicians, Arend Poppner joined the company in 2012. LENICURA was born.
The requirement for the approval of lAight® was a certified Quality Management System (LENICURA certified EN ISO 13485:2012+AC:2012 in May 2016) as well as clinical evidence supporting the effectiveness of lAight®, as a treatment. The clinical trial for the lAight®-therapy was conducted under the supervision of Univ.-Prof. Dr. med. Esther von Stebut-Borschitz, at the time senior physician in the dermatology department of the University Clinic Mainz, since October 2017 director of the clinic and policlinic of dermatology and venerology at the University Medical Center in Cologne. Because of its proximity and well-established expertise in inflammatory dermatosis, the University Clinic Mainz was a perfect partner for a research collaboration. The NICE-trial (Non-Invasive Combination therapy in acnE inversa) included patients diagnosed with all Hurley stages of the disease (all degrees of severity).
First results were presented at the European Dermatology and Venereology Congress (EADV) in Vienna in September 2016, in April 2017 at the DDG conference in Berlin, and at the SHSA 2017 in Detroit, USA.

lAight® by LENICURA was certified as the first treatment device for the indication of hidradenitis suppurativa in Europe beginning of 2017. Now it is our goal and motivation to make the lAight®-therapy available to as many patients as possible so that suffering from hidradenitis suppurativa can be made a burden of past generations – going forward.
LENICURA offers lAight® as a gentle treatment method for hidradenitis suppurativa / acne inversa, acute abscesses and other forms of acne – combined with an extensive service-concept for patients and physicians.