Neurological treatment device gets £1.3m funding

Ximedica’s non-invasive Portable Neuromodulation Stimulator (PoNS) 4.0 device is being studied for the treatment of neurological symptoms caused by disease or trauma

The PoNS 4.0 device is manufactured by Ximedica and will be used in Helius Medical Technologies’ registrational clinical trial to investigate its safety and effectiveness for the treatment of balance disorder caused by traumatic brain injury.

The Helius company has raised $2 million (£1.3 million) for the PoNS device through a combination debt and equity financing according to documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The PoNS device is a non-invasive means for delivering neurostimulation through the tongue.

Researchers believe that use of the tongue as a gateway to the brain may be one of the most natural, non-invasive and direct ways to stimulate the brain as the tongue has thousands of nerve fibres interconnected to the brainstem by two major cranial nerves.

Philippe Deschamps, CEO of Helius, said: “We think of the tongue as a medium for taste but its original function is a learning tool.”

In the US and Canada the PoNS is currently being studied for the treatment of balance disorder for subjects with mild to moderate traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and in Canada for the treatment of gait and balance disorder for subjects with Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Deschamps said: “The PoNS 4.0 device represents the combined design and engineering efforts of Helius and our valuable partner Ximedica.“