Florida Atlantic University signed a memorandum of understanding with medical device company Insightec to research the uses of focused ultrasound to treat brain diseases.
Headquartered in Israel, Insightec harnesses sound waves to target and ablate diseased tissue in the brain without the need for surgical incisions. The technology is being used to treat Alzheimer's disease and tremors resulting from Parkinson's disease. Insightec, which has a U.S. headquarters in Miami, is led by local serial entrepreneur and Mako Surgical Group co-founder Maurice R. Ferré.
"There is a great urgency to accelerate the pace of medical innovation to treat neurological diseases," said Ferré, who is CEO and chair of the board of directors. "Together with our academic research partners at FAU we will advance preclinical and clinical investigations and further examine the potential of the therapeutic power of focused soundwaves."
Ferré is also the co-founder of Miami-based skin cancer detection startup DermaSensor and chairman of Memic Innovative Surgery, a surgical robotics firm with a presence in Tel Aviv and Fort Lauderdale.
Insightec's technology is already being used by five Florida hospitals and four Florida universities to advance its research into Alzheimer's disease. They include Florida International University and Baptist Health South Florida.
The treatment could offer an alternative to invasive surgeries, allowing patients to undergo the procedure and then go home on the same day.
"Focused ultrasound is an amazing tool that affords us the opportunity to treat many brain diseases in a variety of ways," said Gregg Fields, interim vice president for research at FAU and executive director of the Institute for Human Health and Disease Intervention.
Fields is program director for a clinical trial between FAU, Delray Medical Center and Insightec focused on using ultrasound energy to treat neurological disorders.
FAU is home to the Stiles-Nicholson Brain Institute, a hub for neuroscience research that opened in January. As part of the agreement, the university will leverage its clinical and academic research to conduct research into Insightec's focused ultrasound platform.
Florida has the second-highest rate of Alzheimer's disease in the U.S., with an estimated 580,000 cases. It's also among the states with the highest incidence of Parkinson's disease, a progressive disorder that causes unintended or uncontrollable movements, such as shaking and difficulty with balance and coordination. There is no cure for either condition.
"Improving the lives of patients is core to our mission at Insightec, and Florida Atlantic University shares our mission," Ferré said.
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