Axoft Announces Commercialization of Fleuron, Covered by an Exclusive License Agreement with Stanford University

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Axoft, a neurotechnology company, today announced the availability of its novel, ultra-soft materials for purchase by research and industrial organizations for research and development applications. Named Fleuron™, the material is designed to improve implantable Brain-Computer Interfaces (iBCIs) by providing superior biocompatibility, and significantly reducing tissue scarring and lead migration over time. The material was recently used in Axoft's first-in-human clinical study, which marked the first time this type of bio-inspired material was authorized for human use and demonstrated that Fleuron passed the required ISO-10993 compatibility standards. In addition to Fleuron's commercial launch, Axoft announced that it has secured an exclusive license agreement with Stanford University, which protects core aspects of the technology.
Many iBCIs struggle to maintain a stable, high-density interface with soft biological tissues over the long term due to their rigidity and limited biocompatibility. Fleuron addresses this challenge by mimicking the mechanical properties of brain tissue. Resembling a rubber-like version of Teflon, Fleuron offers both longitudinal stability as thin-film material and is compatible with high-density neural interface microfabrication, while minimizing disruption to brain tissues. The material enables new applications for biomedical micro-electromechanical systems (bioMEMS), organ-on-a-chip and implantable devices, and can be used in micro- and nano-fabrication to make high-density microelectrode arrays capable of capturing stable single-neuron electrical activity for more than a year and a half, based on preclinical models.
Dr. Jia Liu, co-founder and scientific advisor of Axoft, initiated the development of Fleuron while at Stanford during his postdoctoral training in Professor Zhenan Bao's research group. Dr. Liu went on to join Harvard University as Assistant Professor of Bioengineering, where he worked with Axoft co-founder and CEO Dr. Paul Le Floch to improve the scalability of Fleuron for a wide range of bioelectronics applications. The related intellectual property developed at Stanford was recently licensed exclusively to Axoft for applications in iBCIs for the treatment of neurological disorders, bioMEMS, bioelectronics and other devices.
'Fleuron is up to 10,000x softer than the polyimide or Parylene C used by most iBCI companies and up to 1,000,000x softer than silicon. It's specifically designed to improve the stability of the tissue-electronics interface, reduce scar tissue and prevent implant drift within the brain over time,' said Dr. Le Floch. 'Fleuron can be used for a wide range of applications where hardware meets biology, including biohybrid devices, organ-on-a-chip, microfluidics and neural interfaces. It includes a platform of materials that are extremely biocompatible yet highly performant and capable of integrating with scalable manufacturing techniques. The broader research and industry landscape stands to benefit from Fleuron, as it has the potential to become a new standard in biomedical engineering.'
Several industrial and academic organizations are already using Fleuron for their own research and development. Axoft uses custom Fleuron formulations in its iBCI devices, which have resulted in unmatched biocompatibility, long-term signal stability and a high bandwidth interface that maximizes the information exchanged between the brain and electronics.
The first Fleuron products are available for purchase today for use as soft, negative photoresists for microfabrication. Axoft plans to launch more material formulations by the end of 2025 for additional biomedical engineering applications.
About Axoft
Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Axoft is building implantable Brain-Computer Interfaces (iBCIs) leveraging bio-inspired materials to enable a seamless interface between the brain and electronics, and allow for measurement and stimulation at high-resolution in any brain region. Axoft is on a mission to unlock new treatments for patients suffering from neurological disorders by producing iBCIs that answer critical unmet needs. For more information, visit www.axoft.us or follow us on LinkedIn.

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By combining advanced diagnostic imaging and radiopharmaceuticals with targeted therapies, theranostics enables a personalized, patient-centric approach that may help improve disease detection, treatment accuracy, and overall quality of life. 'Precision care is the future of oncology—and theranostics is at the heart of that future. The integration of advanced imaging and AI-powered software is accelerating the adoption of theranostics in clinical practice,' shares Shyam Srinivas, MD, PhD, Chief of Nuclear Medicine, Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Radiological Sciences, University of California, Irvine. 'With tools like GE HealthCare's Omni Legend, StarGuide, and MIM software at our disposal, we now have the ability to visualize disease with great clarity, quantify tumor burden efficiently, and make fast, informed decisions. These advancements are not only helping enhance diagnostic accuracy and therapy monitoring but are also opening the door to dosimetry—ultimately helping improve outcomes for our patients. This is precision care in action, and it's making a real difference in patients' lives.' Central to the practice of theranostics is molecular imaging, such as positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), which provides detailed, patient-specific insights to guide and monitor treatment. However, accessing these insights – like whole-body tumor burden, which represents the total amount of cancer is in the body – has traditionally required time-consuming manual analysis, resulting in clinical and operational challenges. In response, GE HealthCare's MIM Software is introducing LesionID Pro with automated zero-click pre-processing, i designed with AI-powered automation to help physicians access reliable whole-body tumor burden statistics without having to spend hours manually segmenting lesions, removing normal physiologic uptake, and registering multiple patient images for comparison. In addition to turning manual pre-processing into a zero-click experience, this new version of LesionID Pro comes with significant algorithm improvements that provide physicians with a precise whole-body tumor volume to review and finalize. Intuitive, user-friendly tools were intentionally designed with input from leading theranostics practitioners with the ultimate goal of making whole-body tumor burden analysis a practical clinical reality and help shorten physicians' time-to-report. 'At GE HealthCare, we are dedicated to providing clinicians the precision care tools needed for the adoption and practice of theranostics,' shares Jean-Luc Procaccini, President & CEO, Molecular Imaging & Computed Tomography, GE HealthCare. 'We designed our portfolio of precision care solutions to evolve with healthcare system needs and help support a patient's entire care journey – from the imaging equipment needed for a noninvasive look at a patient's anatomy and treatment monitoring, to novel radiopharmaceuticals used to diagnose and monitor disease and the systems required to produce them, to the software optimized to enable data-driven decision-making. In the hands of clinicians, these tools help advance the global practice of personalized medicine and help improve patient outcomes.' 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Oregon Health & Science University will be an early adopter. 'Every day counts when it comes to cancer care. The latest theranostics solutions will help our care teams more quickly and easily keep tabs on patient readiness and reduce patient coordination time—freeing up more time for clinicians to focus on direct patient care,' says Erik Mittra, M.D., Ph.D., professor of diagnostic radiology in the at Oregon Health & Science University. Altogether, GE HealthCare has the unique ability to provide solutions along every step of the theranostics care pathway. Our integrated portfolio of solutions provides clinicians with the isotopes, imaging, informatics, and molecular imaging agents necessary for the practice and advancement of precision care. For more information on GE HealthCare's innovative portfolio of theranostics-enabling solutions, please visit SNMMI show attendees are also encouraged stop by the company's booth (#638 and #1023) at New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, Louisiana from June 21-24. About GE HealthCare Technologies Inc. GE HealthCare is a trusted partner and leading global healthcare solutions provider, innovating medical technology, pharmaceutical diagnostics, and integrated, cloud-first AI-enabled solutions, services and data analytics. We aim to make hospitals and health systems more efficient, clinicians more effective, therapies more precise, and patients healthier and happier. Serving patients and providers for more than 125 years, GE HealthCare is advancing personalized, connected and compassionate care, while simplifying the patient's journey across care pathways. Together, our Imaging, Advanced Visualization Solutions, Patient Care Solutions and Pharmaceutical Diagnostics businesses help improve patient care from screening and diagnosis to therapy and monitoring. We are a $19.7 billion business with approximately 53,000 colleagues working to create a world where healthcare has no limits. GE HealthCare is proud to be among 2025 Fortune World's Most Admired Companies™. Follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, Instagram, and Insights for the latest news, or visit our website for more information. i LesionID Pro with automated zero-click pre-processing is 510(k)-pending with the U.S. FDA. Not CE Marked and not licensed in accordance with Canadian law. Not available for sale in the United States, Europe, Canada, or any other region. ii Cancer. World Health Organization. Published February 3, 2022. Accessed March 2, 2023. iii Technology in development that represents ongoing research and development efforts. These technologies are not products and may never become products. Not CE marked. iv Omni Legend 21cm as compared to Discovery MI Gen1 20cm. As demonstrated in phantom testing. v Based on orders data of GE HealthCare PET/CT systems since 2010. vi Compared to NM/CT 870 DR. vii As compared to NM/CT 870 DR with Optima 540 CT. viii a ASiR-V reduces dose by 50% to 82% relative to FBP at the same image quality (Image quality as defined by low contrast detectability). viii b In clinical practice, the use of ASiR‐V may reduce CT patient dose depending on the clinical task, patient size, anatomical location, and clinical practice. A consultation with a radiologist and a physicist should be made to determine the appropriate dose to obtain diagnostic image quality for the particular clinical task. Low Contrast Detectability (LCD), Image Noise, Spatial Resolution and Artifact were assessed using reference factory protocols comparing ASiR‐V and FBP. The LCD was measured using 0.625 mm slices and tested for both head and body modes using the MITA CT IQ Phantom (CCT183, The Phantom Laboratory), using a model observer method.

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Prior declines have always rebounded to enrollment levels higher than where they started. (And some universities, such as the University of Chicago, still haven't seen any enrollment drops.) Sam Madden, a computer-science professor at MIT, told me that even if companies are employing generative AI, that will likely create more demand for software engineers, not less. Whether the past few years augur a temporary lull or an abrupt reordering of working life, economists suggest the same response for college students: Major in a subject that offers enduring, transferable skills. Believe it or not, that could be the liberal arts. Deming's research shows that male history and social-science majors end up out-earning their engineering and comp-sci counterparts in the long term, as they develop the soft skills that employers consistently seek out. 'It's actually quite risky to go to school to learn a trade or a particular skill, because you don't know what the future holds,' Deming told me. 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