Precision Neuroscience, a competing startup of Neuralink, led by Elon Musk, announced the acquisition of a manufacturing facility in Dallas, Texas. The intention behind the decision is to accelerate the development of brain implants. The news was released last Thursday (5) by Precision Neuroscience itself.
According to the company, the newly acquired factory will be dedicated to producing the key component of its brain implant, known as the Layer 7 Cortical Interface.
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The purchase of the facility is considered a significant step for Precision Neuroscience as it seeks to gain regulatory approval for its technology by 2024.
Precision Neuroscience has already begun testing its brain implant on human patients and believes its technology can help people with paralysis control digital devices using signals brain.
This acquisition is also part of direct competition with Neuralink, which already has a factory to produce its own technology. brain implant.
The array of electrodes used by Precision Neuroscience is thinner than a human hair, allowing it to rest on the surface of the brain without causing any damage.
This, in turn, provides a real-time, high-resolution rendering of neural activity without causing damage to brain tissues.
Michael Mager, co-founder and CEO of Precision Neuroscience, commented on the advantage of the company's approach:
“This allows us to iterate very quickly, improve performance, longevity, different form factors of the device – all the things we always wanted to do, we can now do in much more succession quickly.”
Although the exact value of the acquisition was not disclosed at the seller's request, Precision was able to retain the 11 “key employees” who already worked at the factory.
This decision allows the company to continue to use the expertise of these employees in handling technology, which is considered quite complex.
Previously, it took Precision Neuroscience more than a year to manufacture six matrices. Now, the company is capable of producing more than 100 units in just one week.
Mager also highlighted the importance of total control of the installation.
“I think ultimately the value we have the potential to create is much greater as a result of being in full control and owning 100% of the facility that is helping drive all of this innovation. But it’s a longer, more capital-intensive game.”
Although Precision Neuroscience is working closely with regulators, it is still necessary undergo several rounds of rigorous safety and efficacy testing before receiving approval for commercialization.
However, the company has already obtained a breakthrough device designation from the agency, a promising step toward approval to treat debilitating and/or life-threatening conditions.
