The Vivistim system, an implantable device, initially received FDA approval in 2021.
The study findings, published in Stroke and announced by the company yesterday, validate Paired VNS (vagus nerve stimulation) Therapy, according to the medical technology company. After at least one year of therapy, stroke survivors demonstrated improvement in their activity, impairment and quality of life.
A total of 74 people participated in the study of the long-term effects of VNS paired with rehabilitation. Researchers used the Fugl-Meyer Assessment – Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) to measure motor impairment improvements and the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) to measure upper extremity motor abilities. Compared to the baseline, participants had an average improvement of FMA-UE: 5.23 and WMFT: 0.50.
A total of 66.2% of the study participants had a positive response to the Paired VNS Therapy, MicroTransponder reports. Stroke survivors involved in the study reported improvements across upper extremity use, hand function, ability to carry out daily tasks and quality of life.
“These long-term clinical and quality of life outcomes of Paired VNS Therapy are particularly notable because sustained, comprehensive benefits are rarely shown in chronic stroke recovery,” said Teresa Jacobson Kimberley, PT, PhD, FAPTA, the lead researcher on the study and director of the Brain Recovery Lab at the MGH Institute of Health Professions in Boston.
In addition to this recently published study, MicroTransponder’s system announced positive outcomes for its VNS system earlier this year. In February, Dr. Ronald P. Benitez, a neurosurgeon at Atlantic Brain and Spine in New Jersey, presented data at the American Heart Association’s 2025 International Stroke Conference. He spoke about a study of 25 post-acute stroke patients, who demonstrated a mean improvement of 9.53 points in the FMA-UE score.
MicroTransponder announced a $65 million Series F financing round for its Vivistim system back in March. The company is building partnerships with Joint Commission Comprehensive Stroke Centers and neuro and spine programs across the country.
Carrie Pallardy is a freelance writer and editor based in Chicago. She has more than a decade of experience writing and reporting in the healthcare space.
