The Eindhoven, The Netherlands-based company received the grant from the European Innovation Council (EIC). It can now study the investigational brain-computer interface previously designed to restore lower limb mobility after spinal cord injury (SCI). The BCI offering combines the ARC-IM stimulator implant with the WImagine BCI from CEA-Clinatec. Onward has since licensed that BCI technology from CEA.
Onward reported the first human implant of the BCI offering nearly a year ago. The ARC-BCI uses AI to decode a person’s brain signals and translate their intention into thought-driven movement.
Since that first implant, the company has made significant progress with its BCI. Onward won FDA breakthrough device designation for the technology in February. Then, in March, the FDA accepted the BCI into its new Total Product Lifecycle Advisory Program (TAP). Earlier this year, Onward received a grant from the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation to support an ongoing BCI study, then reported the third implant in September.
Ottoback (Duderstadt Germany) recently became Onward’s largest shareholder.
Onward plans to use the funding to develop the capability to program and simultaneously control two investigational ARC-IM implantable pulse generators (IPGs). It also wants to further develop its ARC-IM lead for the cervical spinal cord.
“While helping people with spinal cord injury remains our North Star, this grant underscores the potential for our breakthrough therapies to impact people with other movement disabilities, such as stroke,” said Dave Marver, CEO of Onward Medical. “The funding supports next steps in developing what may be the first-ever therapy to restore thought-driven hand and arm function after stroke.”
