Neurofit Selected for Ministry of Health and Welfare Support Project for Dementia Electronic Drug Development

[Asia Economy Reporter Jang Hyowon] Neurophyt, a specialized company in brain disease imaging artificial intelligence (AI) solutions, is set to develop electronic medicine for dementia using brain stimulation with government support.

Neurophyt announced on the 14th that it has been selected as a research and development institution for the ‘Electronic Medicine Technology Development’ project under the 2022 first round of the Health and Medical Technology R&D Project announced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. As a selected research institution, Neurophyt will receive a total of 1.9 billion KRW in funding by 2026 to conduct research on electronic medicine for dementia.

The selected R&D project is titled ‘Development of Alzheimer’s Disease Treatment Technology Using High-Precision Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS).’ Neurophyt plans to carry out the project in collaboration with the lead research institution, Catholic University Yeouido St. Mary’s Hospital, and the joint research institution, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST). The ultimate goal of the project is to establish clinical evidence for high-precision transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) to maximize brain stimulation effects in high-risk dementia groups, and to commercialize the product by obtaining Class 3 medical device approval from the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for both the tDCS device and treatment design software.

Neurophyt has developed a brain precision stimulation solution utilizing its unique AI-based brain imaging analysis technology. By combining Korea’s first brain imaging treatment design software, ‘NEUROPHET tES LAB,’ and the transcranial direct current stimulator (tDCS) ‘NEUROPHET innk,’ Neurophyt has established a brain precision stimulation platform capable of designing and executing brain disease treatments.

Existing transcranial direct current stimulators (tDCS), which stimulate the brain by passing current through the scalp, have limitations in precisely stimulating the brain because they do not consider individual differences in brain structure, resulting in large variations in treatment effects. By using Neurophyt’s brain precision stimulation platform, it is possible to precisely stimulate target areas considering the patient’s brain structure, enabling personalized treatment.

Neurophyt’s strategy is to actively develop treatment technologies for dementia, a representative intractable brain disease, by utilizing its brain precision stimulation platform. Alzheimer’s disease, which accounts for the majority of dementia cases, is characterized by abnormal brain atrophy, and precise stimulation considering brain structure is essential when stimulating the atrophied brain for treatment. Neurophyt’s solution, which enables brain precision stimulation therapy, is expected to play a key role in treating dementia patients.

Bin Jungil, CEO of Neurophyt, said, “Due to population aging, the number of dementia patients is continuously increasing both domestically and internationally, and the associated social and economic costs are also rising. Existing dementia treatments are limited to symptomatic relief, and new drug development led by global pharmaceutical companies is facing difficulties. We expect that combining brain stimulation therapy with existing drug prescriptions will have a significant synergistic effect.”

He added, “Brain stimulation therapy is expected to delay the production and promote the clearance of amyloid beta and tau proteins, known causative substances of Alzheimer’s disease, and to regulate brain inflammatory responses. We will do our best in research and development to conduct clinical trials jointly with Catholic University Yeouido St. Mary’s Hospital and Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, and to prove the efficacy of Alzheimer’s disease treatment through brain precision stimulation.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.