Grants / Awards
Injectable multi-level sacral root neuromodulation interface for the treatment of SCI bladder dysfunction. A team led by Neuronoff co-founder Andrew Shoffstall received $500,000 for a 2 year grant to evaluate the Injectrode's use in treating bladder dysfunction, a significant medical and quality of life problem for individuals with spinal cord injury. Electrical stimulation of the sacral roots has potential to treat SCI bladder dysfunction (voiding and incontinence). In this project, the team will collect acute and chronic performance data on the use of the Injectrode placed on the sacral roots in a preclincal model.
$500,000 Grant
Ohio Third Frontier Research Incentive
National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB). The Injectrode® - A Truly Injectable Electrode for Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation to Treat Pain. 1U18EB029251-01
$2.2 Million Grant
NIH Reporter Summary
EurekAlert! Summary
Parkinson's and Alzheimer's Disease treatment research using the Injectrode. The lab of Kip Ludwig, co-founder of Neuronoff, Inc., received a $313k supplement from NIH/NIBIB to extend use of the Injectrode as a minimally invasive neuromodulation treatment to treat neurodegenerative diseases caused by misfolded proteins in the brain such as seen in Parkinson’s Disease (PD), Alzheimer's (AD) and in AD-related dementia (ADRD). The Injectrode will be used to stimulate cranial nerves to clear misfolded proteins at an early stage of the disease to prevent neurocognitive deficits from manifesting. The low risk profile of the Injectrode is critical to enable a potential treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease to prevent symptoms before they occur or worsen beyond an initial stage.
Figure 1: Electrical stimulation of the facial nerve (CN VII) as well as other cranial nerves has been associated with changes in blood flow in cranial arteries. Using this approach, early data indicate that misfolded proteins may be "washed" out from the brain.
Figure attribution: By Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1496677
Figure 2: Change in cerebral blood flow from baseline as measured with cranial nerve stimulation in porcine preclinical model, neurostimulation applied for 30 seconds.
Ashley Dalrymple, PhD received the 2nd place in the Best Paper Award for her publication titled "Recruitment of Primary Afferents by Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation using the Injectrode" at the IEEE EMB NER conference in May of 2021. Dr. Dalrymple is part of Dr. Weber's group at Carnegie Mellon University. The work was sponsored by NIH 1U18EB029251-01.
Publications
Trevethan, J.K., et. al. An Injectable Neural Stimulation Electrode Made from an In-Body Curing Polymer/Metal Composite. Advanced Healthcare Materials, 2019
Advanced Healthcare Materials: Trevethan, J.K., et. al: An Injectable Neural Stimulation Electrode Made from an In‐Body Curing Polymer/Metal Composite. Advanced Healthcare Materials. 2019. Volume 8. Issue 23. Copyright Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA. Reproduced with permission.
CWRU Biomedical Engineering Spring Newsletter 2020
bme.case.edu
Industry Publications
Ten innovations that can improve global health
”Small therapeutic agents can target the neural circuits of organs. Such therapies map neural circuitry with neural impulses (administered by an implantable device) delivered to these specific targets.”
Why It's Time to Take Electrified Medicine Seriously
“The potential of the electroceutical field is part of a profound shift in the pharmaceutical-industry, which has long been focused primarily on developing new pills.”
Bioelectronics ‘jump-start’ the next wave of device therapeutics
“Blurring the lines between pharmaceuticals and medical technology, cybermedicine has the potential to become a pillar of medical treatment and play a key role in the future of medtech innovation.”
A Jump-Start for Electroceuticals
“Kristoffer Famm and colleagues unveil a multidisciplinary initiative to develop medicines that use electrical impulses to modulate the body's neural circuits.”
Interested in Collaborating? Neuronoff Inc. is actively engaged in collaborations with premier investigators all around the world. Those interested in research applications of the Injectrode are encouraged to inquire.