Neurotech Notables #12: July 2024

Brain on Web. Web on Brain.

What Neurotech are you? From a visit to the Children’s Creativity Museum in SF.

Greetings, Neurotech Futurists.

Fast times out there. I hope everyone is staying cool and staying safe this summer.

The first two weeks of Q3 represent a typically intense slice of 2024 in Neurotech: Funding rounds big and small. Interesting commercial partnerships. BCI on the main stage. Big Pharma & Big Tech. Market traction. Feds showing agency. Opportunities for startups.

Meanwhile: New laws. Perspectives from patients. Media, commentary, and events galore. Bold emerging research: Vision, Hearing, Voice in Alzheimer’s. DBS. fUS. aiTMS. VNS. BCI. OCD. BPD. Prosthetics. Brain Trauma. Words encoding meaning. Temporal processing. And, proof neurotech will stick around: spider silk electrodes.

Before we dive in: A quick thank you to the growing list of you who have shared your time and perspective with me - on calls, in chats, over lunch. You know who you are. And a special shout out to those who have upgraded or referred. More is coming soon.

Questions, Ideas, Tips? Hit Reply or DM me.

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Funding

• Runway Growth Capital invests $56m in ONWARD Medical (LinkedIn) 

• Neuspera Medical Raises $23 Million in Series D Financing (PR Newswire)

• Esper raises $5m to scale manufacturing capabilities for prosthetic limbs (Sifted)

• Roga secures $1.2m in pre-seed for consumer nerve-stimulating wearable device (Betakit)

• JOGO Health Secures $5.5M in Funding, Leveraging Brain’s Natural Neuroplasticity to Treat Chronic Pain and Incontinence (Femtech Insider)

• Synaptrix secures pre-seed funding for noninvasive BCI (LinkedIn)

• Nyxoah signs a €37.5m loan with the European Investment Bank for Sleep Apnea neurostimulation tech (European Biotechnology)

• J2 Ventures Raises $150 Million to Finance ‘Dual Use’ Technologies (WSJ)

• Private equity and neuroscience: a novel approach to developing new treatments for neurological disorders (STAT)

Commercial

• Synchron Announces Brain Computer Interface Chat Feature Powered by OpenAI (BusinessWire)

  • Here’s Dr. Oxley: “The BCI is a digital representation of what you want to do, and the future of the link between BCI and AI is how the direct link from the brain to make selections with prompts lets you engage with the digital world.”

• Neuralink Company Updates (X  | my quick notes ) 

  • Neuralink to build $14.7M offices in the Austin area (MRT)

• Evaluating the Impact of Ceribell’s Point-of-Care Electroencephalography on Length of Stay in the Intensive Care Unit: Subanalysis of the SAFER-EEG Trial (Neurocritical Care)

• Setpoint Medical Announces Positive Results from RESET-RA study (Setpoint)

  • Also from Setpoint: Electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve ameliorates inflammation and disease activity in a rat EAE model of multiple sclerosis (PNAS)

• Cognito Therapeutics Announces Scientific Presentations at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference 2024 (Business Wire)

  • Related: Christian Howell on evidence generation (SSI Strategy podcast)

• COSMIIC/NIH SPARC to launch “open source, modular implantable device platform…with Investigation Device Exemption from the FDA for use in early feasibility human studies” (LinkedIn)

• Dandelion Science and the Wyss Center Geneva announce AI partnership to generate non-invasive brain therapies (Dandelion)

• ChristianaCare is first in state to offer ultrasound treatment for essential and Parkinson's tremor (Delaware Public Media)

• Neuromod Appoints Tom Maher as General Counsel (Neuromod)

• Otsuka selects Beacon’s DREEM wearable for Sleep Study (Clinical Leader)

• Lilly's Kisunla (donanemab-azbt) Approved by the FDA for the Treatment of Early Symptomatic Alzheimer's Disease (PR Newswire)

• NXTSTIM announces Ben Barnes as Chief Commercial Officer (LinkedIn)

• Medtech layoffs continue in 2024 (Medtech Dive)

• J&J limits use of Megadyne electrodes due to burn risk (MedTechDive)

• Nixels and Pixels: Introducing Science's Chip Families for Neural Recording And Stimulation (Science.XYZ)

  

  Wondering what a Nixel looks like? Source: Science.XYZ

Regulatory & Reimbursement

…and other federal agency news

• Bill Signed: H.R. 2365 “National Plan to End Parkinson’s Act” (WhiteHouse.gov)

• FDA clears Oticon Medical’s hearing loss implant (Mass Device)

• Curonix Receives the First Full-Body Peripheral Nerve Stimulator (PNS) FDA Clearance, including Craniofacial Pain Indication, for its Freedom® PNS System (Globe Newswire)

• FDA Issues Urgent Recall for Inspire IV Implantable Pulse Generators (FDA)

• The Role of FDA in the BCI Journey (Paradromics)

• iBCI-CC: Empowering Through Collaboration (Paradromics)

• CMS GUIDE is live: Medicare explores a new way to support caregivers of dementia patients (NPR) (Download Provider List in Excel )

• Stratus announces coverage with Aetna of Oregon and Washington (LinkedIn)

• A Collaborative Approach to Neurotech Regulation (Emotiv)

• Legislation to grant 4-year coverage of breakthrough medical devices passes Ways and Means, with a heavy discount (Fierce Healthcare)

• NIMH launches new Translational Digital and Computational Psychiatry Program (NIMH)

• The BRAIN Initiative: Brain Behavior Quantification and Synchronization (R61/R33 Clinical Trial Optional) reissue has been published (NIH)

• NIH Seeks feedback on HEAL grant program via RFI by July 31 (NIH)

Other Industry News & Views

• CMU, Meta Seek To Make Computer-based Tasks Accessible with Wristband Technology (Carnegie Mellon University  | LinkedIn)

• 2024 Is the Year for Brain-Computer Interfaces by Jojo Platt & Ruthi Aladjem (Technology Networks)

• Chip Implants, and Other Therapies Show Promise to Treat Paralysis (Discover Magazine)

• Cleveland FES Center’s Dr. Bolu Ajiboye receives VA funding for “Development of FES+BMI Neuroprosthesis for At-Home Use for Persons with Chronic Tetraplegia” (LinkedIn)

• Medtronic’s MiniMed chief engineer on designing human-machine interfaces (for insulin) and automated systems  (Medical Device and Outsourcing)

• Life-Changing Brain–Computer Interface Technology: Interview with Michael Mager, CEO of Precision Neuroscience (Tech Optimist)

• Podcast: Raymond W. Cohen, CEO of Axonics, Inc. (MedTech Talk)

• The Tim Ferriss Show: Nolan Williams on TMS and more (Tim Ferriss) 

• Exploring the Neuromodulation Market: Market Size, Growth, and Innovations (LSI)

  • LSI’s analysis values this market at ~$6.6 billion in 2023 and projects a 7.7% CAGR from 2023 to 2028

• ICYMI: I wrote about TMS. tldr: next 5 years will be more exciting than last 5 👇🏽

Patients’ Perspectives

• What More Could Big Tech Be Doing To Help People With Movement Disorders? (Tomorrow Edition)

• Considering Enrolling in a Dementia Clinical Trial? 6 Things You Should Know (Being Patient)

• Pros and Cons: 4 Patients Open Up About Participating in Alzheimer’s Clinical Trials (Being Patient)

• Natural Health Products for Symptomatic Relief of Parkinson's Disease: Prevalence, Interest, and Awareness (Journal of Parkinson’s Disease)

  • “Among the supplements listed in our survey, coffee (16%), cannabis (13%) and turmeric (10%) were the most popular.”

• Professional Drummer With Musician’s Focal Dystonia Can Play Again After Deep Brain Stimulation Treatment (Mt. Sinai)

Entrepportunities

…say that 5 times fast

• Apply to join Mt. Sinai Elementa Labs (LinkedIn)

• ARIA launches £69m program focused on precision neurotechnologies (ARIA)

• Praxis SCI Accelerate Program (Praxis)

• July 26 - Neuro Cohort - Creative Destruction Labs (CDL)

• HLTH Startup pitches due August 1 (HLTH)

The Cognitive Disorder Atlas, an overview of the neurological underpinnings of 100 different brain disorders. Credit: Algorithmic Design: Lasse Hansen Research & Layout: Lasse Damgaard (h/t Dr. Aleksandra Djordjevic)

Neuroethics & Society

• What a cognitive test could (or could not) say about Biden's mental fitness (Axios)

• How Is Parkinson’s Disease Diagnosed? (Time)

• Brain Donation: Your Brain Holds Secrets. Scientists Want to Find Them. (NY Times)

• The biggest misconception about CTE, according to a leading brain trauma expert (STAT)

• The ethical implications of Elon Musk’s unorthodox approach to medical science, by Anna Wexler (STAT)

• Neuroage Newsletter: Issue #18 (Neurorights Foundation)

• Navigating the Neurotechnology Frontier (ICFG)

• Critical Brain Research Faces a Massive Funding Shortfall (DC Journal)

• Shaping Environments to Shape Us: The Case for Longevity Cities (Milken Institute) 

• We Now Know The Exact Part of The Brain Behind Your Curiosity (Science Alert)

• The critical need for community based research in neuroscience (Civic Science Times)

• Why universal models of brain health will fail (Springer Nature: Research Communities)

NEUROTECH TV

Nat Med (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-024-02994-9

• Continuous neural control of a bionic limb restores biomimetic gait after amputation (Nature)

  • This looks amazing. But also, an expensive toe to stub.

• CMU and Meta Partner to provide Human-Computer Interactions, ft Nathan Copeland (YouTube)

• Synchron Taps OpenAI’s Models (Bloomberg)

• Matt Angle, CEO Paradromics, speaks to CNN’s Julia Chatterley (CNN)

• Enhancing Brain Health and Mental Acuity: A Conversation with Dr. Mark D’Esposito (Aspen Institute)

• Newly signed legislation on Parkinson's disease could open doors for Bay Area company, Rune Labs (KTVU)

• AI in Neuromodulation, ft Dr. Ariane Tom (Cambridge Consultants)

• Neuroscape Labs at UCSF (Medicinal Media)

• Zeto Founder & CEO Aswin Gunasekar on Revolutionizing Medical Space with EEG Technology (FootHill Ventures)

Research Roundup

• Using Ultrasound to Boost Brain Implant Biocompatibility (University of Pittsburgh  | Nature)

• FUS-mediated BBB opening leads to transient perfusion decrease and inflammation without acute or chronic brain lesion (Theranostics)

• The coming era of neuromodulation therapies: expectations for baroreceptor stimulation (Nature Hypertension Research)

• Testing Cognition in Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Trials (BioPharma Dive)

• Disruption of neural periodicity predicts clinical response after deep brain stimulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder (Nature)

  • A new neural biomarker for OCD? (Texas Children’s)

• Neurostimulation in Neuro-Ophthalmology: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential (Current Concepts on Neuro-Opthamology) 

• Ultra-detailed brain map shows neurons that encode words’ meaning ( Blog Post  | Nature)

• Accelerated Intermittent Theta-Burst Stimulation and Treatment-Refractory Bipolar Depression: A Randomized Clinical Trial (JAMA Psychiatry)

• Macro and micro structural preservation of grey matter integrity after 24 weeks of rTMS in Alzheimer’s disease patients: a pilot study (Alz Research & Therapy) 

• AI outperforms clinical tests at predicting progress of Alzheimer’s disease (University of Cambridge)

• AI-based differential diagnosis of dementia etiologies on multimodal data (Nature Medicine)

• New AI Program from BU Researchers Could Predict Likelihood of Alzheimer’s Disease with Speech (BU)

• Alzheimer’s vision study improved with home tests (University of Washington)

• Deciphering Parkinson’s Disease through Eye Movements: A Promising Tool for Early Diagnosis in the Face of Cognitive Impairment (International Journal of Clinical Practice)

• Digital biomarkers for non-motor symptoms in Parkinson’s disease: the state of the art (Nature)

• The neurophysiological brain-fingerprint of Parkinson’s disease (Summary | eNeuroBio)

• The GBA1 Meeting and the State of Science in Parkinson’s Disease (Tomorrow Edition)

• The connections between hearing loss and dementia (Remo Health)

• COVID-19 Leaves Its Mark on the Brain. Significant Drops in IQ Scores Are Noted (Scientific American)

• Enhancement of Temporal Processing via Transcutaneous Vagus Nerve Stimulation (Brain Stimulation)

• Exploring Comorbidity Networks in Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Subjects through Graph Theory: A Traumatic Brain Injury Model Systems Study (BioRxiv)

• 10 standards for brain electrode-array recordings enhance reproducibility (The Transmitter | Preprint)

• Age-Based Developmental Biomarkers in Eye Movements: A Retrospective Analysis Using Machine Learning (Brain Sciences)

• Chinese Scientists Develop World’s First Open-Source Brain-on-Chip Interface System (Yicai Global)

• Neuroengineering and Bioelectronics for Advanced Healthcare Materials (Advanced Healthcare Materials)

• Researchers develop 'spider silk' bioelectronic sensors for diverse applications  (Yahoo | Nature Electronics)

  

  Neural Dust is so yesterday. Will Neural Spiderwebs stick around? Source: Nat Electron (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41928-024-01174-4

📅Events & Webinars

• July 18: BCI: State of the Art, Art of the Future. Orlando (EMBC)

• July 23-24 - NINDS Nonprofit Forum (NINDS)

• July 24 - Conversations in Precision Medicine: Digital Diagnostics for Neuroscience - Webinar (Johnson & Johnson)

• August 2: Neuraseed BCI Expo - Virtual (Neuraseed BCI)

• August 6: 2024 Neurotech Commercialization Workshop - Zoom (Neurotech Reports)

• August 5-7: Montana State University to host annual workshop on BRAIN-funded multiphoton characterization resource - Bozeman, MT (NIH BRAIN) 

• August 10-11: BMI Summit - Morgantown, WV (BMI Summit)

• Sept 1: The International BCI Award by g.Tec - (LinkedIn)

• Webinar - Sept 10 - New Diagnostic Tools to Predict Symptom Improvements in Personality Disorders (BBR Foundation)

• Sept 18: iBCI-CC Inaugural Meeting - Silver Spring, MD (Jennifer French)

• Sept 19-20: FDA+NIH BCI Clinical Outcomes Assessment Workshop - Silver Spring, MD (FDA)

• Sept 19: Brainbox Initiative Conference 2024 for Non-Invasive Brain Stimulation - London (BrainBox)

• Oct 28-30: Biofuture - NYC (Biofuture)

• Nov 6-7: Neurotech Leaders Forum - SF (Neurotech Reports)

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