Coherence Neuro Implants Wireless Brain Device in 3 Patients to Track Glioblastoma Signals
Updated
Updated · gadgetreview.com · Jun 23
Coherence Neuro Implants Wireless Brain Device in 3 Patients to Track Glioblastoma Signals
3 articles · Updated · gadgetreview.com · Jun 23
Summary
Three glioblastoma patients at Royal Melbourne Hospital received Coherence Neuro’s wireless SOMA implant for about 30 minutes during tumor surgery, marking an early human safety test of a device built to detect and suppress cancer-linked electrical activity.
The coin-sized implant uses ultra-thin microwires to read a tumor’s electrical signature, with Coherence aiming to decode those signals with AI and eventually deliver continuous targeted stimulation between MRI scans.
Stanford research in 2019 showed high-grade gliomas can form synapses with neurons, supporting Coherence’s view of some brain tumors as network disorders rather than purely static masses.
Longer-term implantation is the next step if safety data hold, but FDA clearance is still years away and neuro-oncologists have flagged biological variability, surgical risks and sensitive wireless brain-data security as major hurdles.
Coherence, which has raised about $10 million, is trying to improve on Novocure’s external Optune system by placing therapy directly at the tumor site inside the skull.