Inner Cosmos, a pioneering neurotechnology company, is making waves with its innovative implantable treatment devices designed to combat treatment-resistant depression. According to CEO Meron Gribetz, their neurostimulation technology has shown promising results in early human trials.
The clinical trials, conducted in collaboration with Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, have highlighted the safety and efficacy of Inner Cosmos’ cutting-edge neuro device. So far, only a few individuals have received the implant, with one participant reporting significant improvement, while additional patients are expected to receive the device in the coming months.
This revolutionary device is a small chip, akin to a disk, implanted just under the skin of the skull. Once implanted, it seamlessly integrates with the patient’s anatomy, allowing it to monitor brain activity and transmit critical data to the treating physician. The data upload takes just minutes a day, providing doctors real-time insights into the patient’s mental state.
Over the 21-month study period, the Inner Cosmos device has displayed a strong safety profile, with no serious adverse effects reported. Preliminary results suggest the device may be as effective, if not more so, than Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS), currently a standard depression treatment. Two initial participants experienced notable symptom reductions, indicating that the new device could potentially offer superior therapeutic outcomes compared to their past TMS therapies.
Darin Dougherty, Chief Psychiatrist at Inner Cosmos, emphasizes the device's potential in treating persistent depression. He affirmed the company's commitment to advancing research and expanding clinical trials to make this transformative therapy accessible to a broader patient population.
Unlike conventional TMS, which often necessitates frequent hospital visits over several months, the Inner Cosmos device aims to provide patients with a more accessible treatment option. By delivering targeted electrical pulses to specific brain regions, it seeks to restore balance to neural networks and alleviate severe depression symptoms.
Looking ahead, Inner Cosmos intends to scale up its trials with more participants, building on the encouraging preliminary results. Gribetz envisions the company as a leader in developing solutions for cognitive disorders, particularly focusing on treatment-resistant depression.
Since its inception in 2016, Inner Cosmos has conducted extensive animal studies and is now advancing into human trials. Gribetz believes the company is well ahead of its competitors in the neurotechnology space, with plans to treat not only treatment-resistant cases but also mild and major depressive disorders in the future.
Gribetz pointed out that while other brain-computer interface (BCI) companies rely on invasive procedures, Inner Cosmos is dedicated to offering a less invasive solution. The implant procedure is similar to LASIK surgery and takes approximately 30 minutes with minimal recovery time.
Current methods for treating depression often involve cumbersome equipment like large helmets that administer electrical signals to the brain during lengthy hospital sessions. The Inner Cosmos implant, on the other hand, is significantly smaller and less invasive, demonstrating a potential breakthrough in depression management.
Dougherty, who has extensive experience running a TMS clinic, states that patients using the Inner Cosmos device have shown improved outcomes compared to previous TMS treatments. The long-term vision of Inner Cosmos includes a radical shift in depression management: a simple outpatient procedure followed by daily mood tracking via an app, allowing patients to engage with their psychiatrists in a more efficient and convenient manner.
The goal is to revolutionize care for the millions grappling with depression, particularly those who have not found relief with traditional treatments.
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