Coherence Neuro, a startup developing brain implants to treat cancer, has raised $45 million in a Series A funding round co-led by Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund and the OpenAI Startup Fund. Other participants included Lux Capital, Olive Capital, and 8VC. The company announced the funding in a post, stating that the proceeds will enable its first chronic human trial of the implant as a treatment for glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. Coherence will also seek FDA breakthrough device designation and plans to expand testing to other conditions such as pancreatic cancer and other malignancies.
The funding underscores growing investor interest in using neurotechnology to treat cancer, a field that has seen limited innovation for deadly brain tumors. Coherence’s leading product, SOMA, is a button-sized implant that monitors electrical signals emitted by cancerous cells and delivers electrical signals to disrupt tumor development. It works with a removable wearable placed above the ear and an app that tracks symptoms, provides therapy history, and offers real-time patient data.
Founded in 2022 by Elise Jenkins and Ben Woodington, Coherence aims to leverage technology and neuroscience to change how cancer is treated. The company is currently focused on glioblastoma, which has claimed prominent victims such as Senators Ted Kennedy and John McCain. Several consenting patients have had the device implanted in their brains during surgery to remove glioblastoma tumors. These initial tests are designed to establish the safety of the implants.
The implant is based on research suggesting that tumors have unique electrical signals and fields, and that disrupting this activity could arrest cancer development before it becomes advanced. If the trials succeed, the implants could alter the grim prognosis that glioblastoma patients face upon diagnosis. As Coherence advances its R&D programs, other entities like CNS Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: CNSP) are also working to develop novel medications for brain cancers such as glioblastoma.
The news was distributed by BioMedWire, a communications platform focused on biotechnology, biomedical sciences, and life sciences. BioMedWire is part of the Dynamic Brand Portfolio at IBN, which provides wire solutions through InvestorWire and other services.
