Phosphoenix secures €1.3m to advance its visual neuroprosthesis toward clinical study
The financing will support preparation for a first-in-human study of a device designed to bypass damaged eyes and stimulate the brain’s visual pathway.
Stimulating the brain’s visual pathway
Phosphoenix is developing a visual neuroprosthesis for people whose retina or optic nerve cannot carry visual information to the brain. A camera and processor would translate scenes into stimulation patterns, while its flexible Fountain Probe targets the lateral geniculate nucleus, a relay in the brain’s visual pathway.
The company secured €1.3m to advance the technology and prepare a first-in-human clinical study. The probe incorporates more than 1,000 microelectrodes, designed to coordinate stimulation and produce simple visual percepts that could help users navigate or detect obstacles.
The work remains preclinical. Earlier research has produced recognizable artificial patterns through electrical stimulation, but Phosphoenix has not yet established a human therapeutic outcome. The next milestone is clinical evaluation of the device and its approach with patients who have profound vision loss.
Use of funds
Prepare the first-in-human clinical study
Advance neurostimulation development and clinical preparations