Neurotech Industry Veterans and Newcomers Attend 19th Leaders Forum in SF
About 120 neurotechnology professionals from industry, research, investment, and clinical fields gathered for the 19th annual Neurotech Leaders Forum in San Francisco earlier this month. Discussions ensued from current trends, recent opportunities, and on-going challenges. One of the highlights of this event is the exchange of new ideas and the dialogue with neurotech entrepreneurs. The keynote speakers this year each spoke of finding clues in the human nervous system—but from different perspectives.
The Two-Way Street
As it has in the past, the recent meeting of the North American Neuromodulation Society offered a host of scientific and clinical presentations that meshed nicely with commercial product offerings on the exhibit floor [see conference report, p7]. As we report in our article on page 1 of this issue, one such area of scientific advance that will likely have a tremendous impact on commercial product development is the role that glial cells play in the pain pathway.
Industry Veterans Offer Guidance at 2019 Neurotech Entrepreneurs Workshop
The first ever Neurotech Entrepreneurs Workshop, produced , Arizona State University, the University of Houston, and the University of Pittsburgh, was held at the ASU campus on December 13-15, 2019. At the workshop, 20 neurotechnology industry professionals joined 30 future entrepreneurs chosen from a pool of graduate trainees selected to participate . The 30 participants were assigned to one of 10…
New Sensing and Stim Devices Expand Epilepsy Market
The market for treating epilepsy and related seizure disorders stands to expand considerably in coming years. Several recent developments highlight progress in both commercial product development and clinical research. Technological advances in this field include both enhanced neurosensing systems as well as neuromodulation systems. At the American Epilepsy Society meeting earlier this month, Neuro…
WVU Announces DBS Clinical Trial for Treating Opioid Addiction
The West Virginia University Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute and WVU Medicine announced the launch of a first-in-the-U.S. clinical trial using deep brain stimulation for patients suffering from treatment-resistant opioid use disorder. Funded through a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the clinical trial is led , executive chair of the RNI, and a multidisciplinary team of neurosurgical, psychiatric, neuroscience, and other experts.
NeuroSigma Announces Agreement with Teijin for ADHD Device
Teijin Ltd., the Japanese pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturer, and NeuroSigma, Inc., the Los Angeles, CA manufacturer of trigeminal nerve stimulation systems, announced entering into a partnership based on an exclusive license agreement that grants Teijin Pharma exclusive rights to NeuroSigma’s TNS patent rights in Japan related to ADHD and to market the Monarch eTNS System for the noninvasive treatment of ADHD in Japan.
2019 in Review
As the second decade of the 21st century—and the second decade of our coverage of the neurotechnology industry—comes to a close, it’s worth taking a look back over the last year and putting it in context with the last 10 years. There were many significant commercial developments in 2019, including Neuralink’s public announcement, the emergence of new competitors like Axonics Modulation and Saluda Medical, and mergers such as GTX medical/NeuroRevovery Technologies.
Neurotech Reports Announces Winners of Gold Electrode Awards
Neurotech Reports, the publisher of this newsletter, announced the winners of the 2019 Gold Electrode Awards. The awards were presented at the 2019 Neurotech Leaders Forum in San Francisco on November 5. The award for best new product went to Saluda Medical for its Evoke spinal cord stimulation system. The award for most promising startup went to Nia Therapeutics. The award for most valuable financial professional went to Josh Makower of New Enterprise Associates.
Competition Grows Fierce in Sacral Nerve Stim Market
The market for implanted sacral nerve stimulation devices to treat bowel and bladder disorders has become decidedly more competitive in recent weeks. Axonics Modulation Technologies received FDA approval for OAB for its rechargeable system and market-leader Medtronic responded with an announcement of its own rechargeable device and a patent infringement lawsuit against Axonics. Earlier this month, Axonics announced FDA approval of the Axonics r-SNM system for the clinical indications of OAB and urinary retention.
Recognizing Our Failures
The neurotechnology industry has seen its share of commercial successes in recent years. There have also been a few failures. One of the most significant that we have witnessed is the Chapter 11 filing month [see article, p3]. Though it was at best the number five player in the spinal cord stimulation market behind Abbott, Boston Scientific, Medtronic, and Nevro, Nuvectra possessed considerable eng…