Lungpacer Has 1st Commercial Procedures with AeroPace Neurostim System

Lungpacer Medical, a company focused on respiratory care neurostimulation technologies, announced that physicians have performed the first commercial procedures using the company’s U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved AeroPace system.

AeroPace activates and strengthens the diaphragm through minimally invasive temporary transvenous neurostimulation. Critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation often have rapid weakening of the diaphragm, which can prolong dependence on ventilators and complicate recovery.

By restoring diaphragm function, AeroPace can help patients regain independent breathing more quickly, reduce time on the ventilator, and support durable recovery.

Lungpacer said the first patient treated with AeroPace recovered after battling severe respiratory failure. The patient was admitted for pneumonia, had chronic COPD, and had already spend over a month in the hospital and was on mechanical ventilation for three weeks and was unable to wean before receiving AeroPace therapy.

After twelve days of treatment with AeroPace, the patient moved from full mechanical ventilation support to breathing independently with a trach collar and discharged home two days later. Throughout treatment, the patient’s X-rays, arterial blood gases, and PEEP levels steadily improved, reflecting meaningful gains in lung function and overall stability.

“The transition of AeroPace from research to real-world patient care is the start of a new era in critical care,” said Doug Evans, CEO of Lungpacer Medical. “We are deeply grateful to the physicians and nurses at the hospital whose leadership and compassion made this milestone possible. Every patient who gets off ventilation faster means more days of strength, more time with family, and more hope for loved ones watching them fight to breathe on their own again. We’re committed to bringing this therapy to leading medical centers across the U.S. to help ICU patients breathe independently again and solve a major healthcare challenge.”

The system earned FDA breakthrough status and premarket approval to improve weaning success in mechanically ventilated patients. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) also granted New Technology Add-on Payment (NTAP) status for the AeroPace System starting October 1, 2025, providing incremental reimbursement for eligible cases and facilitating adoption across hospitals.