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With an amended format as an online conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 Bioelectronic Medicine Forum was held on April 7 with more than 100 attendees from the industry, research, and investment communities. Projected to grow to $14 billion by 2025, the field is very quickly gaining ground and building investor interest. This event highlights some of the recent developments, investment activity, and emerging companies.

As Neurotech Reports begins our third decade of coverage of the neurotechnology industry, we’d like to look back on 2020 to see what lessons we can apply to the post-pandemic era that awaits us on the other side. Though the year started with many positive research and commercial developments, it’s hard to downplay the impact that COVID-19 has had on our industry. In large part because many states a…

A number of neurotechnology firms and researchers have begun a spirited effort to develop potential treatments for COVID-19. While much of the biomedical research in the U.S. has been oriented toward pharmaceutical and biologics interventions and diagnostics, there are several lines of approach that involve bioelectronic medicine. One neurotech firm taking a leading role in this effort is electroCore, Inc., the Basking Ridge, NJ bioelectronic medicine company.

The coronavirus pandemic that has paralyzed much of the world in the last several weeks has certainly taken a toll on the neurotechnology industry. As was discussed in several sessions at the 2020 Bioelectronic Medicine Forum earlier this month [see conference report, p6], venture capital investment has screeched to a halt, and some early-stage neurotech firms face an uncertain future because of disruptions in clinical trials, research activity, and supply chains.

Cirtec Medical Corp., the Brooklyn Park, MN manufacturer of neuromodulation system components and subassemblies, announced that it has acquired intellectual property and certain assets from Nuvectra Corp., the Greatbatch spinoff that recently filed for bankruptcy protection. Cirtec will leverage this technology to support customers’ development of neuromodulation products, providing an FDA-approved platform with a complete design history file to leverage for a variety of therapeutic applications.

Neural engineers developing new brain implants for applications in brain-computer-interfaces, cortical stimulation, and neuroprosthetics have made continued progress at improving the function and the footprint of microelectrode arrays. Several research institutions and at least two commercial firms have literally added a new dimension to neural interfacing three-dimensional architecture of the cerebral cortex.

A newly published market research report from Neurotech Reports, the publisher of this newsletter, estimates that the worldwide market for neurotechnology products to be $9.1 billion in 2020, growing to $15.1 billion in 2024. This represents a CAGR of 13 percent. The report, titled The Market for Neurotechnology: 2020-2024, was authored Cavuoto, Jennifer French, Jeremy Koff, and Margot Puerta. It i…

Executives of several emerging bioelectronic medicine firms will present at the Third Annual Bioelectronic Medicine Forum, to take place on April 7, 2020 via Zoom video conference. The conference, produced , will also feature sessions related to investment, regulatory and reimbursement, and translational issues. Among the promising entrepreneurs tentatively scheduled to present are Ash Attia, CEO o…

It’s far too early to assess what effect the current coronavirus situation will have on the neurotechnology industry. But the timing is far from optimal. Just at the point when venture capital investment in neurotech startups had reached record levels, the current standstill in economic activity has created a time of uncertainty for entrepreneurs. The virus’ impact on VC investment will certainly be one of the topics to come up during our third annual Bioelectronic Medicine Forum on April 7.

The market for transcranial magnetic stimulation systems, which is currently driven largely -resistant depression, is likely to expand in the years ahead as manufacturers and investigators devise new therapeutic applications. TMS is currently approved major depression and obsessive compulsive disorder. Earlier this month, BrainsWay Ltd. announced results from a randomized controlled double-blind clinical trial assessing the safety and efficacy of the company’s deep TMS system for the treatment of adults with ADHD.