Summary: Micro-Leads Inc has announced results from a first-in-human pilot study testing a high-resolution computer chip (HD64) implanted in the spine. This chip offers a new, minimally invasive method to both read and write spinal cord signals, providing a scalable approach to targeting multiple neurological regions. The study, published in Neurosurgery, highlights its potential to unlock new treatment options for conditions like sleep apnea, chronic pain, and migraines. The chip, HD64, offers double the resolution of existing spinal cord interfaces, potentially opening doors for more personalized and effective therapies.
Key Takeaways:
- Enhanced Precision in Spinal Interfaces: The HD64 chip developed by Micro-Leads doubles the resolution of traditional spinal cord stimulators, allowing for more accurate nerve targeting and broader neural coverage.
- Potential for Injectable Therapies: The spine-chip technology could pave the way for a new class of needle-injectable therapies, targeting neurological regions involved in conditions like sleep apnea, chronic pain, and migraines.
- Scalable Approach for Brain-Computer Interfaces: Researchers say the study marks an advancement in spinal cord interface technology, with potential implications for brain-computer interfaces and future therapeutic developments.
Micro-Leads Inc announced the results of a first-in-human pilot study using a high-resolution computer chip tested in people’s spines. The company says the treatment could open the door to new options for conditions like sleep apnea, chronic pain, and migraines.
The study’s findings, published in Neurosurgery, arrive as companies like Synchron, Neuralink, Paradromics, and Onward are researching brain implants to restore function after paralysis. Micro-Leads developed the spine-chip to both read and write spinal cord signals using a minimally invasive procedure.
For decades, spinal cord interfaces have been limited by uncomfortable side effects and limited restoration of movement. The study showcases a two-times greater resolution in targeting the spinal cord fibers using the spine-chip called HD64 developed by Micro-Leads.
With its enhanced resolution, HD64 not only covers a broader neural area but also provides a scalable approach to targeting multiple neurological regions and unlocks new therapeutic opportunities for brain-computer interfaces and spinal cord stimulators.
Study Implications
The latest clinical study in 20 participants was published by Julie Pilitsis, MD, neurosurgeon and chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Arizona College of Medicine in collaboration with Micro-Leads. Pilitsis says in a release, “This high-resolution study represents a significant advancement in precision spinal cord interfaces, paving the way for more personalized treatments for patients suffering from chronic pain and other disorders.”
Doug Weber, PhD, a brain-computer interface expert and professor of neuroscience at Carnegie Mellon University, says in a release: “Many existing [brain-computer interfaces] face challenges with precision and scalability, making it difficult to accurately record and stimulate multiple regions of the spinal cord and brain. The HD64 spine-chip provides an unprecedented capability for sensing and modulating neural activity not only in the spinal cord but the brain and peripheral nerves as well.”
Bryan McLaughlin, PhD and CEO of Micro-Leads, says in a release, “The success of this clinical study confirmed the benefit of precision nerve targeting. We’re seeing a brand-new class of needle-injectable therapies emerge from this clinical study.”
Photo caption: HD64 is a spine-chip that both reads and writes spinal cord signals using a minimally invasive procedure.
Photo credit: Micro-Leads
