Synchron Halts Brain Implant Trials Due to Performance Issue

Synchron, a developer of brain-computer interface technology, has temporarily halted recruitment for its clinical trials evaluating its second-generation Stentrode device. According to the company, the pause was initiated after discovering a performance issue involving the lead, which is the cable responsible for carrying signals from the Stentrode to the implanted electronics. Synchron emphasized that the issue does not involve the Stentrode itself and that no safety concerns have been identified for participants. In response to the problem, Synchron has brought lead design and manufacturing in-house and plans to upgrade the entire system before restarting trial enrollment. The company is simultaneously restructuring, cutting some jobs in New York while building up a team in San Diego to support the hardware upgrades and the development of future devices.