Paradromics Raises $105M for Breakthrough Brain-Computer Interface to Restore Speech in Stroke Survivors
July 29, 2024Paradromics, founded in 2015, is pioneering a brain-computer interface (BCI) that translates brain signals into speech for individuals who have lost their ability to communicate verbally.
The company has successfully raised $87 million in venture capital and $18 million in public funding, with its device receiving two FDA Breakthrough Device Designations.
Paradromics has also been accepted into the FDA's Total Product Life Cycle Advisory Program, which will provide guidance as they prepare for human clinical trials expected to commence next year.
Recent feasibility tests with ten subacute stroke patients demonstrated attention classification accuracy ranging from 70% to 100% during online assessments.
The BCI system operates reactively, measuring brain responses to external stimuli, which aids in enhancing sensory rehabilitation for stroke survivors.
Current sensory training methods primarily focus on bottom-up approaches, utilizing various tactile stimuli and electrical stimulation.
Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) has emerged as a promising adjunct treatment for stroke rehabilitation, particularly in improving upper limb motor function.
With stroke being a leading global cause of disability, affecting 50%-85% of survivors with sensory deficits, the need for effective rehabilitation interventions is critical.
The review of NIBS emphasizes the necessity for more randomized clinical trials to clarify the effects of contralesional stimulation and to identify suitable biomarkers for patient response.
Further research is needed to optimize NIBS protocols based on individual patient characteristics, such as the integrity of corticospinal tracts.
Participants in studies underwent clinical assessments to establish baseline functionality, including evaluations of motor and sensory scores.
A gender-based analysis in recent studies revealed that men exhibited a 9.16% greater improvement in results compared to women, highlighting the need for further examination of gender-specific performance differences.
Summary based on 4 sources