Osteoboost, an AgeTech Collaborative™ from AARP startup participant, offers a wearable medical device that delivers precision vibration therapy to the spine and hips — areas most at risk of fractures.
As the first FDA-cleared drug-free prescription treatment of osteopenia in postmenopausal women, the company is on a mission to educate and inspire patients with osteopenia or osteoporosis to intervene early so they can live stronger, more active lives.
We spent time with Laura Yecies, CEO of Osteoboost, who described Osteoboost’s innovative device, its companion technology and the vision that drives the company.
This interview has been edited for clarity and length.
What is Osteoboost all about?
We have a solution to optimize bone health — specifically, to treat osteopenia, which is the first stage of bone loss, and to prevent it from progressing to osteoporosis. The flagship part of our product is a Class II medical device; it’s the first and only FDA-approved prescription treatment for low bone density that’s not a drug. It’s also the first treatment that was specifically designed as an early intervention for osteopenia. We think it’s important to intervene early and prevent the progression of osteopenia and osteoporosis, just like early intervention is important with other chronic conditions.
What is the device, and what does it do?
It’s a vibration pack that sits right above the sacrum, and people wear it like a belt or fanny pack. There’s a lot of research and technology behind it: We’ve designed it to transmit very precise frequencies and amplitudes to achieve a therapeutic vibration that improves bone density. There is also a pressure sensor to make sure the pressure is adequate for the vibration to transmit correctly.
The device also has a patented feature: accelerometers on the front and back. The front accelerometer sits right over the hip bone so we can measure and adjust the dose of the vibration according to how much fat and muscle an individual has over their bone.
Does the treatment propagate through the entire body, or is it more localized?
It’s localized to the hips and lumbar spine, because that’s actually the most important place to do it. Hip fractures are the most serious kind of osteoporotic fracture: About 30% of people don’t survive a year after experiencing a hip fracture, and more than half of those who do survive lose their independence. So it’s very important to strengthen those hip bones. We’re also helping to prevent vertebral compression fractures, which are the most common osteoporotic fracture and are very difficult to treat. So we are focusing on the most vulnerable anatomy with Osteoboost.
How does therapeutic vibration work?
Therapeutic vibration is effective because it’s a form of mechanical stimulation, which is essentially how we improve our bone health naturally. It’s called Wolff’s Law: Exercise — especially weight lifting or exercises with impact — naturally puts stress on the bones and causes them to strengthen. Our device provides therapeutic vibration that mimics the natural mechanism of exercise, and targets the hip and spine. We conducted a pivotal trial at the University of Nebraska Medical Center that showed the device’s efficacy and provided strong, high-quality scientific evidence that the FDA has reviewed and accepted.
How often do people need to use it?
We recommend people use it 30 minutes a day, as close to daily as possible. It’s a wearable belt, and that helps people comply with treatment. Plus, most patients describe it as feeling like a massage — it’s a pleasant sensation for most people.
We also have a digital solution: There’s a companion app that goes with the belt and helps with nutrition and education. It also tracks progress and can connect with some other popular personal health-tracking devices. In addition, we have a comprehensive exercise solution that can be customized to help people improve strength and reduce their risk of a fall.
What was the catalyst for founding Osteoboost?
The device was invented by Dr. Shane Mangrum. He was seeing a lot of patients with vertebral compression fractures, which are very painful and difficult to treat, and he thought, “There must be a better way to prevent this.” So he worked with some colleagues at a medical device incubator to create a prototype. They got a grant from the National Institute on Aging for their research; eventually, that led to the pivotal study at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and ultimately FDA approval.
What inspired you to get involved with the AgeTech Collaborative?
I attended the Founders Summit in Boston in 2024, where I discovered that the Collaborative could really help us with research and understanding our demographic. So we applied, and the experience went far beyond my expectations. The team from the Collaborative that we worked with was highly professional; they helped us with some important market research on patient demographics and other work around understanding the ins and outs of reimbursement. Frankly, I’m usually a little skeptical of accelerators and incubators, but working with the Collaborative was a really great experience.
Is there anything else you’d like to share about Osteoboost?
We really want to emphasize the importance of early intervention: The sooner people can get a DXA scan and know their bone density, the sooner they can take action to improve it. DXA scans are safe, quick and relatively inexpensive, and like any chronic condition, people will have a better outcome the earlier they intervene.
Right now, our biggest challenge as a startup is to get the word out to patients and clinicians that we have this new treatment available. Medications have been available for some time, but they’re not well adopted, often because people are afraid of side effects. Our solution is safe, and there were zero side effects in our pivotal trial. We’re excited to be offering a chance for people to be empowered to optimize their bone health with a safe, early intervention.
Whether you're already part of the AgeTech Collaborative or are just discovering our community, we invite you to learn more about Osteoboost and the critical role early intervention can play in bone health. By supporting solutions like theirs, we can collectively help more people stay stronger, safer and more active as they age — and move the needle on what’s possible through AgeTech.
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