European Innovation Council funds development of the optical cochlear implant with 2.5 million euros
International cooperation project “OptoWavePro” coordinated by the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG) receives 2.5 million euros over a period of three years from the “EIC Transition” funding program of the European Innovation Council for the development of the optical cochlear implant to restore hearing in humans.
Scientists from the University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), OptoGenTech GmbH, which was spun off from the UMG in 2019, the Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems ENAS in Chemnitz, the Finnish company Modulight and the French company SCT Ceramics are receiving 2.5 million euros for the development of the optical cochlear implant to restore hearing in humans. The funds for the three-year “OptoWavePro” project come from the “EIC Transition” funding program of the European Innovation Council (EIC). The EIC Transition funding specifically supports small and medium-sized companies, start-ups and organizations to transform projects from basic research into marketable products.
The “OptoWavePro” project is coordinated by Professor Dr. Tobias Moser, director of the Institute for Auditory Neuroscience at the UMG and co-founder of OptoGenTech, and builds on his previous work on the development of the optical cochlear implant. This special hearing implant is designed to translate incoming sound information into light signals, which in turn specifically activate the nerve cells in the cochlea of deaf and hard-of-hearing patients. As light can be focused better than electrical signals such as in conventional cochlear implants, “hearing with light” promises better hearing quality. “With the expertise of this research consortium in the fields of medicine, medical technology, semiconductor technology and biotechnology, we are a significant step closer to the clinical application of the optical cochlear implant,” says Professor Moser.
Dr. Daniel Keppeler, Managing Director and also co-founder of OptoGenTech as well as guest researcher at the Institute for Auditory Neuroscience at the UMG, adds: “This special funding enables us not only to develop the technology, but also to further grow our still young start-up economically. We get access to exclusive coaching and an extensive network of entrepreneurs. So far, OptoGenTech has been financed by the high-tech incubator Life Science Valley in Göttingen from state funds.
"OptoWavePro" project
“OptoWavePro” seeks to transform healthcare in the field of hearing. The development of an optical cochlear implant promises to improve hearing restoration beyond current solutions. This new technology uses light to stimulate the auditory nerve, which represents a significant leap over traditional electrical stimulation methods and hearing implants.
The innovative approach envisions to combine an implantable medical device with a gene therapy medicinal product. The incorporation of light-gated ion channels into the auditory nerve enables its precise neural stimulation by light (optogenetics), bypassing defective or absent hair cells. Studies in animal models promise that hearing with light provides a significantly more natural hearing impression than the electrical cochlear implants used to date.
In the “OptoWavePro” project, UMG and OptoGenTech GmbH are contributing their extensive expertise in medicine and biotechnology to the development of the optical cochlear implant. In addition to testing in animal models, UMG is focusing on the production of a titanium housing that will enable the implant to be used safely and stably in humans for decades. OptoGenTech designs and integrates 3D-printed lenses that are used to introduce the light into the waveguides that are installed in the titanium housing and transmit the light to the cochlea. Other important interim goals include the development of the regulatory strategy for the optical cochlear implant and the creation of a concept for possible future reimbursement by health insurance companies.
The company Modulight will contribute its medical technology knowledge and expertise in the field of miniaturized laser diodes, which are capable of converting electrical energy directly into light. The Fraunhofer Institute for Electronic Nano Systems ENAS will contribute its experience in microtechnology to produce tiny waveguides, and the company SCT Ceramics will contribute to optical components such as specialized sapphire windows, which have very good optical properties to guide the light accurately, stably and safely out of the titanium housing. "This represents an extraordinary opportunity that unites leading technology innovators to develop a state-of-the-art optical stimulator for human application," adds Christian Goßler, technical lead of the project and co-founder of OptoGenTech.
About the EIC Transition Grant
The EIC Transition grant scheme, offered by the European Innovation Council (EIC), plays a pivotal role in transforming groundbreaking research into market-ready innovations. This highly competitive funding mechanism is dedicated to support researchers, startups, and SMEs in advancing their technological developments through activities such as prototype creation, piloting, and scaling processes. Offering substantial financial support for up to 36 months, the grant is instrumental in bridging the crucial gap between innovation and commercialization, fostering a robust ecosystem of advanced technology development across Europe.
Wissenschaftlicher Ansprechpartner:
University Medical Center Göttingen, University of Göttingen
Institute for Auditory Neuroscience
Professor Dr. Tobias Moser
Robert-Koch-Str. 40, 37075 Göttingen
Phone +49 551 / 39-63071
tobias.moser@med.uni-goettingen.de
www.auditory-neuroscience.uni-goettingen.de
OptoGenTech GmbH
Dr. Daniel Keppeler
Friedrichstr. 3/4, 37073 Göttingen
daniel.keppeler@optogentech.com
www.optogentech.com
University Medical Center Göttingen, University of Göttingen
Corporate Communication
Lena Bösch (Press contact UMG)
Von-Siebold-Str. 3, 37075 Göttingen
Phone +49 551 / 39-61020, Fax +49 551 / 39-61023
presse.medizin@med.uni-goettingen.de
www.umg.eu
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