Further rights secured to ablation system for damaged brain tissue

12 Nov 2024, 13:00 by Patricia Inácio, PhD · Parkinson's News Today

Zimmer Biomet announced that it has acquired select exclusive rights to distribute NeuroOne’s OneRF Ablation System, a brain electrode-guided tool for use in neurological brain surgeries, including those for Parkinson’s disease.

“As the world’s first FDA [U.S. Food and Drug Administration] cleared system for both diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, our ablation system provides clear advantages over existing competitive electrode technologies,” Dave Rosa, president and CEO of NeuroOne, said in a company press release. “We look forward to continuing to expand the indications for use in the future.”

OneRF Ablation System, approved in the U.S. in December 2023, works to capture the brain’s electrical activity and selectively destroy damaged tissue there within controlled temperature settings.

System aims to ease symptoms by targeting brain areas with neuronal loss

Under the commercialization agreement, which expands a previous distribution agreement between the companies, NeuroOne will receive an upfront payment of $3 million and is eligible for milestone payments if certain goals are met.

“We are confident that the partnership will allow NeuroOne to leverage Zimmer Biomet’s leadership position in robotic technology and extensive distribution channel both in the United States and abroad,” Rosa said.

Parkinson’s is caused by the the gradual degeneration and death of dopaminergic neurons, which are responsible for producing dopamine, a chemical messenger involved in motor control.

In some cases, removing select brain areas marked by neuronal loss can help to manage certain Parkinson’s motor symptoms. For instance, ablation of tissue in the thalamus, a region that functions as a relay station for sensory signals, may alleviate or ease tremors. Similarly, targeting the globus pallidus, a brain structure involved in coordinating and regulating voluntary movement, can help to reduce stiffness and involuntary movements.

OneRF uses the company’s Evo stereotactic electroencephalographic (sEEG) system, which is composed of thin-film, flexible electrodes that are implanted close to the brain to measure electric activity and detect signals, including in deep brain regions.

The system was upgraded to perform tissue ablation — a minimally invasive procedure to create small and irreversible lesions in targeted tissue — using a radio frequency generator. It generates radio waves that heat and destroy cells in the targeted region. A temperature control system works to monitor the precise temperature during the ablation process.

Since its U.S. launch in April, a limited number of ablation cases — in brain areas related to seizures — have been performed and reported as successful, according to NeuroOne. It also reports that these ablations were performed at the patient’s bedside, reducing hospital stays and costs.

“We are excited to expand the relationship with NeuroOne to include the OneRF Ablation System, which builds on our existing agreement to distribute NeuroOne’s Cortical and sEEG diagnostic electrode technology, and we look forward to launching this product in the near future,” said Brian Hatcher, president of Zimmer Biomet.