Great Lakes NeuroTech said it won $1.9 million from the National Institute of Health to fund development and commercialization of a deep brain stimulation device for patients with Parkinsons disease.
The device platform will combine wearable motor symptom sensing abilities and a DBS system into an integrated unit, as well as intelligent algorithms for searching settings and selecting optimal parameters, Cleveland, Oh.-based Great Lakes NeuroTech said.
“We demonstrated in 2 studies that intelligent algorithms using sensor feedback could successfully identify optimal stimulation parameters that significantly improved motor symptoms or maintained therapeutic benefits while reducing stimulation amplitude by an average of 50% to decrease battery usage. One previous limitation was separate systems were used for assessment and programming. We look forward to this next phase, which will directly integrate the systems to improve clinical workflow and speed programming time,” biomedical research manager Dustin Heldman said in a press release.
Deep brain stimulation therapy can provide motor relief to patients with Parkinsons, GLNT said, but present challenges in system programming after the devices have been implanted. The company said clinicians must manually adjust settings for the devices, and can take time to program and personalize.
“Our validated technology, growing customer base, reimbursement, and issued patents uniquely position GLNT to capitalize on 2 new markets, patient referrals for advanced therapies and closed-loop control of adjusting those therapies,” President Joseph Giuffrida said in prepared remarks.