EBS Technologies Launches Sight-Restoring Brain Stimulation Device in Europe

Berlin, Germany-based EBS Technologies has begun commercialization of its Next Wave brain stimulation device, designed to expand the visual field of patients with impaired vision, in Europe. The University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf is now offering the device for use by clinicians.

“Electrical brain stimulation can help to reactivate residual capabilities of brain function,” said Christian Gerloff, M.D., director of the department of neurology and full professor of neurology at the University Medical Center. “We expect that Next Wave therapy will be offered to patients at neuroophthalmologic and neurorehabilitation clinics throughout Europe, and we are pleased that our institution is pioneering this effort.”

“It is well-known that there is a tremendous unmet clinical need for the treatment of vision impairment caused by a variety of different neurological disorders, such as neuropathy of the optic nerve,” said Ulf Pommerening, CEO of EBS Technologies. “Three out of five persons who are disabled from impaired vision as a result of optic nerve neuropathy, brain injury, or stroke are potentially treatable with our Next Wave therapy, which is why we are very excited about the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf’s pioneering role in applying Next Wave therapy to patients.”

In June 2013, EBS announced the results of a multi-center, 82-patient clinical trial of its Next Wave brain stimulation device. About one-half of the clinical trial patients were given a 40-minute treatment protocol for 10 consecutive days with device. With an average increase of 24 percent of the total visual field, Next Wave treated patients showed significantly better improvements in stimulation of their total visual field compared with patients in the control group who did not receive Next Wave stimulation. All patients had vision impairment lasting at least six months prior to the clinical trial and had exhausted all standard therapeutic options to improve their vision.

According to EBS Technologies, Next Wave enables patient-centric revitalization of selective communication paths between neurological cells, which may have been impaired due to brain injury caused by trauma, degeneration, tumor resection, etc. The non-invasive therapy utilizing the technology is clinically validated to restore vision impairment by 20 to 30 percent after optical pathologies (such as glaucoma) and brain dysfunction.

The device is not approved for sale in the United States.