The problem:

Millions of patients with severe chronic diseases do not find adequate treatments with pharmacological interventions and today’s devices offer only low efficacy[1].

The objective:

To develop a new generation of neurostimulators that are capable of identifying disease-relevant nerve signals and subsequently modulating these signals with high selectivity. This approach could be a truly disruptive technology in healthcare with the potential to help millions of severely ill patients. The high selectivity in neurostimulation should also offer personalized treatments and make it possible to process various physiological data sets to reach a holistic understanding of the patients’ disease courses. 

The Solution:

To solve this challenge, our Bioelectronics team is collaborating with early-stage startup company neuroloop GmbH, a B. Braun subsidiary. The collaboration seeks to develop a neurostimulator using a differentiated novel multichannel cuff electrode based on thin-film technology. This new electrode design can complement the existing drug therapies of patients with chronic inflammatory diseases and create localized and specific therapeutic effects by selectively stimulating nerves. By enabling highly selective stimulation of specific fibers within the nerve it will also ensure minimal side effects for the patient and simple use for the caregiver.

 Learn more about this collaboration here.

[1] D’Haens et al., 2019, Gastroenterology, LivaNova device

The problem:

Bioelectronic devices face a significant dilemma: They require more and more power (computing power, data communication, stimulation) and more sensitive recording capabilities.

The objective:

To develop highly energy efficient and high-resolution stimulation/recording devices with novel materials.

To boost energy efficiency and enable high resolution recording we are collaborating with startup company Innervia Bioelectronics, a subsidiary of Inbrain Neuroelectronics. The aim of the collaboration is to co-develop smart neurostimulators and the next generation of graphene-based bioelectronic vagus nerve therapies targeting severe chronic diseases within the therapeutic areas addressed by Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
The novel graphene electrode technology with its unique energy efficiency and high resolution has the potential to enable an unprecedented vagus nerve stimulation.

Learn more about this collaboration here.