Daily Newsletter

27 September 2023

Daily Newsletter

27 September 2023

Thought-driven movement device for spinal injuries implanted in first human

The procedure is part of a clinical study supported by the European Innovation Council, investigating the therapy’s safety and effectiveness.

Robert Barrie September 27 2023

ONWARD Medical has completed the first-in-human implant of its spinal cord stimulator with use of an investigational brain computer interface to aid limb movement in spinal cord injury patients.

ONWARD’s ARC-IM stimulator was implanted in a patient at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) in Lausanne, Switzerland. The wireless brain-computer interface – the BCI WIMAGINE device from CEA-Clinatec – was inserted nine days later.

The procedure is part of ONWARD’s clinical study investigating the safety and effectiveness of its investigational thought-initiated spinal cord stimulation device in patients with spinal cord injury.

The brain computer interface registers brain intention to move upper extremities and decodes signals using artificial intelligence. The ARC-IM stimulator then captures the decoded information to precisely stimulate the spinal cord. The combination has already provided positive results in providing movement for the paralysed lower legs.

ONWARD said it plans to publish data from the study, which is supported by the European Innovation Council, in the coming months.

Dr Jocelyne Bloch, who conducted the procedures said: “We are now working with the patient to use this cutting-edge innovation to recover movement of his arms, hands, and fingers. We look forward to sharing more information in due course.”

According to GlobalData’s medical device pipeline database, 79 spinal cord stimulators are currently in development globally. The majority of these(54) are in clinical development. GlobalData lists ONWARD as a key player in the device’s development arena, along with Medtronic, Boston Scientific and Nevro and others.

Generative AI set to transform the medical devices industry

Generative AI can improve personalized healthcare by collecting data from patients via wearable devices, which can provide continuous, real-time data that can complement traditional data sources such as imaging, patient records, and more. It can also enhance existing imaging techniques by generating high-quality images of organs using data from low-resolution images (such as ultrasounds). However, the collection and use of patient healthcare data through AI medical products could conflict with regulations around the globe.

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