News

Fighting the Obstacles Attendees at the 2006 Neurotech Leaders Forum in San Francisco last month learned of a number of obstacles confronting new entrants to the neurotechnology industry [see conference report, p7]. Many of these obstacles were pointed out , CEO of Cyberonics Inc., who shared some of the more frustrating moments from his days in the neurotechnology industry. One obvious barrier to commercialization familiar to most medical device executives is regulatory approval, and the FDA in particular.

Neurotech Leaders Forum Attendees Discuss Obstacles to Commercialization Staff Report The 2006 Neurotech Leaders Forum, held in San Francisco, CA September 28-29, offered an opportunity for neurotechnology industry entrepreneurs to interact with executives from more established medical device firms and the financial professionals who will help grow the industry. It also offered attendees a sobering look at some of the challenges confronting them as they endeavor to move from research to commercial ­development.

The Depression Circuit One of the most intriguing developments in the field of neuromodulation in recent years has been the quest to identify the neural circuits involved with mood disorders. As we discuss in our article on page 1 of this issue, deep brain stimulation in general, and DBS for treatment of Parkinson’s disease in particular, has proven to be a powerful tool for neurologists and psychiatrists studying psychiatric disorders.

Neurotech Reports Editors Announce Winners of 2006 Gold Electrode Awards The editors of Neurotech Reports, the publisher of Neurotech Business Report, have announced the winners of the 2006 Gold Electrode Awards, established in 2004 to recognize individuals and organizations that have helped foster the growth of the neurotechnology industry. Cyberkinetics Neurotechnology Systems Inc. received the best new product award for its Andara OFS spinal cord stimulation system.

A Fat Market The market for treating obesity is one of the most potentially lucrative opportunities for manufacturers of neurotechnology devices, a point not lost on the numerous venture capital firms that have invested in this space recently [see article, page 1]. In many respects, the obesity market opportunity is greater than that posed by depression, itself a blockbuster for healthcare firms. O…

Gastric Stimulation Startups Attract Financial Backing The market for gastric stimulation systems and other neurotechnology devices that treat obesity has attracted the attention of venture capital firms and corporate investors. VC firms’ appetites were no doubt stimulated by Medtronic’s purchase of Transneuronix last year for $260 million plus incentives [NBR Jul05 p1]. The U.S. Centers for Diseas…

Cognitive Impairment Offers New Neurotech Opportunity Individuals with cognitive impairments represent a growing market opportunity for manufacturers of neurotechnology systems. In addition to building stimulation and sensing devices that detect and treat the neurological disorders causing cognitive impairment, neurotech firms may well be called upon government agencies to help design new assistive technologies that will have application beyond the current market for neurological disorders.

The Supporting Cast As is the case with other new industries, the neurotechnology business depends on support from suppliers in related fields. Perhaps no class of vendor is more important to manufacturers of neurotechnology devices as electronic component suppliers, as we discuss in our article on page 1 of this issue. Over the years, neurotech vendors have come to rely on outside sources of power…

Neurotech Professionals Join Technology to Improve Cognitive Function Workshop Staff Report Nearly 100 people participated in the Technology to Improve Cognitive Function Workshop in Washington, D.C. last month. The event was sponsored Disability Research. This U.S. government entity brings together researchers, policy makers, consumer advocates, and representatives of several different federal agencies involved with disabilities.

Engineers and Mechanisms One of the greatest challenges confronting the neurotechnology industry, as it is for the life sciences industry as a whole, is to uncover the physiological mechanisms place. This is important for a number of reasons, including hastening the regulatory and reimbursement approval process, reassuring clinicians who might otherwise be reluctant to adopt a new intervention, and advancing our basic understanding of nervous system function.