The Problem
Bioelectronics, the treatment of disease, injury and disability using electronic devices, is a huge and growing market. Close to 2 million devices are implanted every year to treat such varied ailments as cardiac abnormalities, chronic pain, Parkinson’s disease, and hearing loss. However, the materials used for these implants are typically metals and/or polymers, which are recognized by the body as foreign and unnatural. In addition, the capabilities of these materials are limited:
- They degrade rapidly, often needing replacement in less than 5 years
- They measure only electrical signals whereas much of the body’s signaling is biochemical
- They create toxic byproducts when used for stimulation
- They cause image aberrations and localized heating when subjected to an MRI scan
Because of these limitations, many implants must be surgically replaced at frequent intervals, which is expensive, traumatic and carries significant risk of infection. Since only electrical signals can be measured, many stimulation therapies are done through trial and error in a doctor’s office. There is no closed-loop feedback, which means multiple doctor’s visits, under-/over-shooting of treatments and potentially serious side effects.
Our Technology
Grapheton’s main products are next generation carbon-based implantable devices with integrated on-chip self-powering energy sources. A much more natural fit with biological processes, our products are made of a homogenous non-granular carbon material that could stay implanted in the human body for several decades without degradation or damage to the underlying tissues. Equally importantly, Grapheton’s probes can simultaneously read both the electrical and chemical signals that regulate processes throughout the body. Our multi-modal probes open the door to closed-loop, automated feedback obtained from real-time and simultaneous reading of electrical and biochemical signaling, thus helping avoid expensive and risky repeated hospital visits and side effects. MRI can now be used either to verify placement of the implants or for other diagnostic reasons without fear of dangerous complications or image distortions. The sensitivity and selectivity of Grapheton’s probes exceed state-of-the-art as supported by peer-reviewed scientific publications.
Company
Grapheton Inc. is a start-up company that focuses on developing cutting-edge carbon-based electrodes, circuits and batteries for bioelectronic implants. Over the past fifteen years, the underlying technology of Grapheton was developed at and licensed from NanoFAB.SDSU, which is part of the Center for Neurotechnology (CNT) Engineering Research Center, a collaboration between University of Washington, MIT and San Diego State University. As our technology comes out of the laboratory environment and enters clinical applications, Grapheton’s technology has the potential to revolutionize human bioelectronic implants by creating lifelong treatments that continuously adjust through closed-loop monitoring of the body’s electrical and chemical environment. Grapheton continues to build a rich portfolio of forward-looking solutions, proprietary technologies, and intellectual property in these cutting-edge areas.