NeuroBionics
Seamless Interfaces to Accelerate Research and Medicine
Idea in Health Care
Introduction
NeuroBionics is redefining bioelectronic interfacing by developing the next generation of implantable devices, designed to seamlessly integrate with the human body. Our core technology lies in flexible, multifunctional fibers capable of recording and modulating physiological activity in the body, which have been developed at MIT for over a decade. These fiber devices incorporate a range of functions, including electrophysiology recording, electrical stimulation, drug & gene delivery, pressure sensing, and temperature sensing, all within a flexible device as thin as a human hair. Our vision is to leverage these flexible fiber devices to realize the tremendous promise of precision bioelectronic medicine.
Problem
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) therapy has emerged as a transformative treatment for patients grappling with Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, dystonia, and more. DBS can alleviate motor symptoms such as tremors and rigidity, and it has also shown great promise for psychological conditions including depression and addiction, often providing a level of relief that pharmaceuticals alone cannot achieve. Despite its remarkable efficacy, today only ~1% of patients eligible for DBS therapy elect to have a device implanted. This is due to the invasive nature of the implantation procedure, which involves open brain surgery and the placement of a stimulator device in the chest.
Opportunity
At NeuroBionics, we are using microscale, flexible bioelectronic fibers to make DBS therapy minimally invasive. Instead of requiring open brain surgery, we are leveraging the natural highways into the brain: the blood vessels. Using existing endovascular neurosurgery procedures, we guide our device through the twists and turns of the blood vessels to the target brain location to deliver therapy. This can be done in a Cath Lab, without invasive brain surgery.