Weekly Signal: 30 | Vision Restored, Minds Regulated: Neurotech’s Pivotal Week

Table of Contents

• Weekly Signal

• Complete our community challenge

• Refer a Neurohacker

• Help us Improve

🧠 Weekly Signal

Clinical gains, market moves
Neurotechnology News | Oct 18–Oct 24, 2025

Let's cut through the noise this week!

This week, peer-reviewed data showed a retinal brain–computer interface restoring central vision, while startups advanced bedside neuromonitoring and precision-psychiatry financing. Meanwhile, the United Nations escalated mental-privacy to a model-law effort. Bottom line: rigorous clinical signals are landing as policy and capital align around neurotech’s near-term deployments.

🧠 SCIENCE & CLINICAL TRIALS

🟢 Subretinal photovoltaic implant restores central vision in geographic atrophy

Published: October 20, 2025
Read more ➡️ EyeWire / NEJM

A wireless subretinal photovoltaic microchip (PRIMA) paired with near-infrared projection glasses enabled reading in most patients with advanced geographic atrophy; the New England Journal of Medicine reports efficacy with quantifiable acuity improvements at 12 months. The study enrolled older adults with bilateral GA and demonstrated functional central vision restoration.

💡 Big Picture: This is a rare, peer-reviewed restoration of lost sensory function, marking a concrete therapeutic step for prosthetic vision and clinical-grade neurostimulation.

💼 INDUSTRY & STARTUPS

🟢 CoMind raises $102.5M for non-invasive bedside brain monitoring

Published: October 22, 2025
Read more ➡️ MedTech Dive / Company statement

Funding (led by Plural) supports a laser-based optical platform aimed at continuous monitoring of cerebral blood flow, autoregulation, and intracranial pressure, with U.S. trials recruiting and a 2027 launch target. The company cites parity ambitions with invasive ICP bolts without cranial access.

💡 Big Picture: If accuracy holds in trials, non-invasive neuromonitoring could shift neuro-ICU standards and expand access beyond high-risk invasive probes.

🟢 Alto Neuroscience secures $50M to advance ALTO-207 in treatment-resistant depression

Published: October 20, 2025
Read more ➡️ BioSpace / Yahoo!Finance

The PIPE extends runway to a Phase 2b (mid-2026) and potential Phase 3 (early-2027) for a biomarker-guided antidepressant in treatment-resistant depression. The plan follows an FDA meeting and includes Phase 3 readiness work outlined in associated filings.

💡 Big Picture: Neurobiomarker-stratified psychiatry is being tested at registrational scale—key to improving effect sizes in hard-to-treat depression.

🟢 ONWARD Medical raises >€50M to accelerate spinal cord stimulation programs

Published: October 24, 2025
Read more ➡️ Company release

The private placement (~€50.85M) supports commercialization of ARC-EX and development of implantable ARC-IM; bookbuilding concluded this week with listing steps disclosed. Proceeds target clinical, manufacturing, and go-to-market activities across EU/US.

💡 Big Picture: Capital strengthens the lead runner in spinal cord stimulation for mobility and autonomic function in spinal cord injury.

🏛️ POLICY & ETHICS

🟢 UN privacy rapporteur calls for a global model law on neurotechnologies

Published: October 22, 2025
Read more ➡️ ReliefWeb / OHCHR press release

The UN Special Rapporteur urged states to adopt harmonized rules to safeguard mental privacy, data processing, and human rights as neurotech scales. The call highlights governance gaps spanning medical, research, and consumer neurodevices.

💡 Big Picture: Expect converging statutory baselines for neural data collection, consent, and cross-border transfers—affecting clinical trials and consumer neurotech.

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