Lifeward Announces Collaboration With Shirley Ryan AbilityLab to Expand Access for the ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton
Rhea-AI Summary
Lifeward (Nasdaq: LFWD) announced a collaboration with Shirley Ryan AbilityLab to launch dedicated clinic days in Q2 2026 to accelerate evaluation and access to the ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton for people with spinal cord injury (SCI).
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab will lead clinical evaluation, training and patient support, while Lifeward provides ReWalk, an FDA-cleared wearable robotic system enabling standing, walking, and navigation of stairs and curbs.
Positive
- Dedicated clinic days launching Q2 2026 at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
- Partnership with top-ranked rehabilitation hospital (Shirley Ryan AbilityLab)
- ReWalk is FDA-cleared for enabling ambulation in people with spinal cord injury
Negative
- None.
News Market Reaction – LFWD
On the day this news was published, LFWD declined 8.38%, reflecting a notable negative market reaction. Argus tracked a trough of -3.2% from its starting point during tracking. Our momentum scanner triggered 6 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility. This price movement removed approximately $968K from the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $11M at that time.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
LFWD gained 14.37% while the momentum scanner shows only one peer (XAIR) moving down 6.19% with no news, suggesting a stock-specific move rather than a sector-wide rotation.
Previous Partnership Reports
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 13 | Strategic partnership | Positive | +9.2% | Oramed partnership adds POD™ platform and up to $47M funding access. |
| Aug 04 | Distribution expansion | Positive | +0.5% | SportsMed partnership expands AlterG coverage to UAE and GCC region. |
| Mar 06 | Access partnership | Positive | -8.1% | CorLife made exclusive distributor for ReWalk in workers’ compensation. |
| Mar 05 | Access expansion | Positive | +2.4% | MYOLYN deal expands MyoCycle FES access for home-use patients. |
Partnership announcements have usually led to positive price reactions for LFWD, with three gains and one notable selloff.
Recent partnership activity shows Lifeward using collaborations to broaden technology and access. On Jan 13, 2026, a strategic partnership with Oramed tied to the POD™ platform saw shares rise 9.22%. Earlier partnerships with SportsMed (Aug 4, 2025), CorLife (Mar 6, 2025), and MYOLYN (Mar 5, 2025) focused on regional distribution and access to ReWalk and MyoCycle systems. Today’s collaboration with Shirley Ryan AbilityLab continues this strategy of expanding clinical reach for ReWalk users.
Historical Comparison
Past partnership headlines moved LFWD by an average of 0.99%. Today’s 14.37% gain on the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab collaboration stands out as a much stronger reaction.
Partnerships evolved from expanding access to MyoCycle and ReWalk (MYOLYN, CorLife, SportsMed) to a capital-intensive Oramed alliance, now extending into high-profile clinical collaboration with Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.
Market Pulse Summary
The stock moved -8.4% in the session following this news. A negative reaction despite partnership news would fit a mixed pattern in which most collaborations helped, but at least one access-focused deal preceded a selloff. With the stock below its $8.70 200-day MA and well under its $35.40 52‑week high, sentiment had already been fragile. Any disappointment about commercialization pace, reimbursement, or integration of new clinical programs could have amplified downside despite the ostensibly strategic nature of the announcement.
Key Terms
spinal cord injury medical
exoskeleton medical
wearable robotic system technical
fda-cleared regulatory
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Clinic days offered at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, the #1 ranked rehabilitation hospital for 35 consecutive years, with the goal of accelerating personal exoskeleton adoption
Streamlined pathway from evaluation to real-world use of ReWalk for people living with spinal cord injury (SCI)
HUDSON, Mass. and CHICAGO, March 02, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lifeward Ltd. (Nasdaq: LFWD), a global leader in innovative medical technology designed to transform the lives of people with physical limitations or disabilities, today announced a joint effort with Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, a global leader in physical medicine and rehabilitation. This collaboration will establish dedicated clinic days launching in the second quarter of 2026 at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab’s Chicago campus to accelerate the evaluation and accessibility of the ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton.
These specialized clinics provide individuals living with spinal cord injury (SCI) the opportunity to be evaluated and trialed in Lifeward’s ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton, promoting functional ambulation and greater independence. Shirley Ryan AbilityLab will play a central role in clinical evaluation, training and supporting individuals throughout their healing journey.
“This work with Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, a prestigious nationally recognized rehabilitation research hospital, is a first for Lifeward,” said Mark Grant, CEO at Lifeward. “The integration of advanced wearable robotics into an established clinical ecosystem creates a streamlined pathway from evaluation to real-world use of the ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton.”
“Providing patients with access to innovative rehabilitation technologies is central to our mission, and we are pleased to offer training and support through this collaboration,” said Allison Kessler, MD, MS, section chief of the Renée Crown Center for Spinal Cord Innovation at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab.
The ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton is an FDA-cleared, wearable robotic system that enables individuals with spinal cord injury to stand, walk, and navigate environments with stairs and curbs. Use of powered exoskeleton technology is associated with improvements in ambulation, health outcomes, and quality of life.
For more information about evaluation eligibility or upcoming clinic dates, please visit https://golifeward.com/contact/ or contact us by phone at +1-508-251-1154.
About Shirley Ryan AbilityLab
Shirley Ryan AbilityLab is the global leader in physical medicine and rehabilitation for adults and children with the most severe, complex conditions — from traumatic brain and spinal cord injury to stroke, amputation and cancer-related impairment. Founded in 1953, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab has been designated the No. 1 rehabilitation hospital in America by U.S. News & World Report every year since 1991. Upon opening a
About Lifeward
Lifeward designs, develops, and commercializes life-changing solutions that span the continuum of care in physical rehabilitation and recovery, delivering proven functional and health benefits in clinical settings as well as in the home and community. Our mission at Lifeward is to relentlessly drive innovation to change the lives of individuals with physical limitations or disabilities. We are committed to delivering groundbreaking solutions that empower individuals to do what they love. The Lifeward portfolio features innovative products including the ReWalk Exoskeleton, the AlterG Anti-Gravity systems, the ReStore Exo-Suit, and the MyoCycle FES Systems.
Founded in 2001, Lifeward has operations in the United States, Israel, and Germany. For more information on the Lifeward product portfolio, please visit GoLifeward.com.
ReWalk®, ReStore® and Alter G® are registered trademarks of ReWalk Robotics Ltd. (DBA Lifeward) and/or its affiliates.
Forward-Looking Statements
In addition to historical information, this press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward looking statements may include projections regarding the Company's future performance and other statements that are not statements of historical fact and, in some cases, may be identified by words like "anticipate," "assume," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "future," "will," "should," "would," "seek" and similar terms or phrases. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are based on management's current expectations, which are subject to uncertainty, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of which are outside of the Company’s control. Important factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ materially from those indicated in the forward looking statements include, among others: the acceptance of the ReWalk 7 Personal Exoskeleton by healthcare professionals and patients; uncertainties associated with future clinical trials and the clinical development process, the product development process and FDA regulatory submission review and approval process; the Company's ability to have sufficient funds to meet certain future capital requirements, which could impair the Company's efforts to develop and commercialize existing and new products; the Company's ability to maintain and grow its reputation and the market acceptance of its products; the Company's ability to achieve reimbursement from third-party payors, including CMS, for its products; the Company's limited operating history and its ability to leverage its sales, marketing and training infrastructure; the Company's expectations as to its clinical research program and clinical results; the Company's expectations regarding future growth, including its ability to increase sales in its existing geographic markets and expand to new markets; the Company's ability to obtain certain components of its products from third-party suppliers and its continued access to its product manufacturers; the Company’s ability to navigate any difficulties associated with moving production of its AlterG Anti-Gravity Systems to a contract manufacturer and transitioning the manufacturing of its ReWalk products to its in-house manufacturer; the Company's ability to improve its products and develop new products; the Company's compliance with medical device reporting regulations to report adverse events involving the Company's products, which could result in voluntary corrective actions or enforcement actions such as mandatory recalls, and the potential impact of such adverse events on the Company's ability to market and sell its products; the Company's ability to gain and maintain regulatory approvals; the Company's ability to maintain adequate protection of its intellectual property and to avoid violation of the intellectual property rights of others; the risk of a cybersecurity attack or breach of the Company's IT systems significantly disrupting its business operations; the Company's ability to use effectively the proceeds of its offerings of securities; and other factors discussed under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K, as amended, for the year ended December 31, 2024 filed with the SEC and other documents subsequently filed with or furnished to the SEC. Any forward-looking statement made in this press release speaks only as of the date hereof. Factors or events that could cause the Company’s actual results to differ from the statements contained herein may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of them. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future developments or otherwise.
Contact:
Almog Adar
Chief Financial Officer
Lifeward
E: media@golifeward.com
E: ir@golifeward.com
FAQ
What will Lifeward and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab do together starting in Q2 2026 for LFWD?
Is the ReWalk Personal Exoskeleton FDA-cleared and what does that mean for LFWD patients?
How can people with spinal cord injury book an evaluation for ReWalk through LFWD and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab?
What role will Shirley Ryan AbilityLab play in the Lifeward LFWD collaboration?
When do the dedicated ReWalk clinic days at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab begin for LFWD patients?
