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2024-02-01

ReWalk Robotics rebrands to "Lifeward" as portfolio expands

A pioneer in robotic walking assistance is embracing a new identity following its pivot into a broader rehabilitation provider. Israel-based ReWalk Robotics this week unveiled “Lifeward” as its new name, aiming to reflect its expansion beyond signature exoskeletons assisting patients and people with disabilities.

The rebrand accompanies ReWalk’s assimilation of AlterG, a California firm producing so-called “anti-gravity” treadmills and training equipment. Folding AlterG’s devices for physical and neurological therapy into its portfolio fueled the identity change as ReWalk evolves from a single-product company into a neurorehab solutions platform.

The new branding ushers in this wider scope. But it also honors ReWalk’s legacy as an early innovator using robotics to empower mobility. When the aptly named ReWalk launched in 2001, its pioneering wearable systems gave paralysis patients unprecedented freedom of movement via external motors and stabilization.

ReWalk’s signature exoskeleton remains central to Lifeward’s lineup, enabling those with spinal cord injuries to walk and navigate spaces more independently. Companion products like the MyoCycle functional electrical stimulation bike have since arrived to strengthen users’ muscles and cardio ability.

But acquiring AlterG’s lineup now broadens Lifeward’s restorative arsenal. AlterG’s devices feature an ingenious method of bodyweight support using air pressure changes to effectively make users lighter on their feet. This builds strength and balance gently during recovery from injuries, strokes or other setbacks impeding movement.

As Lifeward absorbs AlterG’s commercial team and customer base into its umbrella sales effort, the combination aims to jointly boost access to an integrated suite of rehab solutions. The AlterG deal’s upside supported ReWalk betting wholly on transformation by adopting the new Lifeward brand and ticker symbol.

While the pandemic complicated sales momentum, ReWalk notched key wins beforehand that Lifeward can leverage. Regulators expanded Medicare coverage of its exoskeleton to more diagnosis categories after years of lobbying. This endorsed the tech’s efficacy and lowered patient barriers to obtaining scripts.

Now Lifeward strives to replicate that advocacy playbook to proliferate AlterG’s alternate therapy models. If the tag team strategy pays dividends, the rebrand may come to signify the scaled debut of a prominent neurorehab aggregator. And the name Lifeward affirms the end goal remains restoring patient progress mile by mile.

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