Founded in 1976, SOPHYSA was the pioneer in the development of adjustable neurosurgical valves to treat hydrocephalus. Introduced in 1984, the Sophy® valve was the first adjustable valve in the World allowing non-invasive adjustment of operating pressures, to match an individual patient's changing clinical needs.

Acquired in 1989 by the Japanese tkb Group, SOPHYSA expanded quickly in France, and abroad, gaining global recognition in the field of Neurosurgery.

In 2004, SOPHYSA launched the Polaris® valve, the first adjustable valve with a lock, specifically designed to resist unintentional changes in operating pressure – a milestone in adjustable valve safety. Polaris® offers the patient an unequalled security against the clinical risks associated with those dysadjustments.

In 2005, SOPHYSA introduced Pressio®,a user-friendly Intra-Cranial Pressure monitoring system for neurosurgery and neurotrauma, bringing the continuous intracranial pressure monitoring to a new level of performance and ease of use.

As a neurosurgery specialist, SOPHYSA manufactures and markets a wide range of neurosurgical implants for the treatment of hydrocephalus, including various types of valves, catheters, reservoirs and accessories, a range of ICP sensors and external drainage systems, as well as subcutaneous spinal access ports.

SOPHYSA markets its products worldwide through an international network of exclusive distributors. In France and Benelux, SOPHYSA products are marketed by direct sales representatives.

Administrative and Sales activities are headquartered in Orsay, a university town South of Paris.

Research and Development activities and production are based in Besançon, the French capital for micro-mechanics, in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, inaugurated in 2007. SOPHYSA also has branch offices in Belgium, in Braine l'Alleud, and in the U.S., in Crown Point, Indiana.

By developing and manufacturing valves, SOPHYSA has developed first a special know-how in micro-mechanisms acquired from the horological industry in the Besançon area, which is the French capital for micro-mechanisms and horological components.
Every valve is indeed made manually and controlled individually, as delicate as a luxury watch or a piece of jewelry.

In addition, the development of the Pressio® system was the occasion for SOPHYSA to develop an additional know-how in micro-electronics.

Through the years, thanks to its employee dedication to offer the highest standard products to patients, SOPHYSA has strengthened its core competency, which is the management of Cerebro-Spinal Fluid. Indeed, SOPHYSA offers innovative solutions for the measurement of Intra-Cranial Pressure, and for the drainage of Cerebro-Spinal Fluid, either internally or externally.

This core competency allows SOPHYSA to offer a platform of products for two major medical specialties, Neurosurgery and Neurotrauma.

In Neurosurgery, SOPHYSA offers products aimed at regulating CSF Pressure in the brain. These products are:

•     neurosurgical implants for the treatment of hydrocephalus: fixed and adjustable pressure valves, reservoirs,
• catheters and accessories designed to drain CSF from the brain ventricles to another body cavity.
      external drainage systems: catheters and collection bags to drain CSF from the ventricles or sub-arachnoid spaces and collect it externally.

In Neurotrauma, SOPHYSA offers a solution for the continuous intracranial pressure measurement required on patients with severe head injury. This solution is an ICP monitoring system: a micro-monitor and a range of catheters for measurement of intracranial pressure and temperature.

Besides this platform of products, SOPHYSA also took advantage of some specific technical know-hows, such as polysulfone injection used for the manufacturing of the valve body to develop Soph-A-Port, the range of access ports by Sophysa for chemotherapy and pain treatment.

This range of products addresses needs not only in Neurosurgery, but also in Chemotherapy in a larger point of view.