Neural Analytics raises $13M, works on developing device for concussion diagnosis

A headset and a large suitcase containing tablets, an ultrasound box and other devices are all three UCLA alumni need to determine whether a patient has suffered a concussion.

Their product, called Lucid, uses ultrasound technology and physiological readings to diagnose patients who have suffered head injuries with more certainty, said Mateo Scheidt, UCLA alumnus and data collector at Neural Analytics. The data the device collects is compared to the patient’s baseline or prior measurements.

Neural Analytics, the company that created the device in 2013, received $10 million from two science and technology companies last month, which totals to a $13 million investment that they plan to use to put Lucid on the market.

Doctors usually request the patients to self-report symptoms on questionnaires, which results in incorrect diagnoses, Scheidt said. The Lucid device looks for physiological evidence of whether the person has suffered a concussion.

The suitcase contains two Surface Pro tablets, a Doppler box that conducts ultrasounds, a capnometer which measures a person’s carbon dioxide readings and other miscellaneous components, Scheidt said. The suitcase connects to a headset patients wear to determine whether they have concussions.

David Hovda, professor and director of UCLA Brain Injury Research Center, said doctors use magnetic resonance imaging instead of ultrasound to diagnose more serious cases of traumatic brain injuries, because of large amounts of blood that may block the brain.

To allow for more accurate measurements, Neural Analytics data collectors place a probe on the artery in between the cheekbone and the jaw, Scheidt said.

“I have seen other studies aimed at concussions diagnostics, which … are more invasive and consist of needles and drawing blood,” he said. “Our procedure only (requires) a headset.”

Leo Petrossian, a UCLA alumnus and co-founder and CEO of Neural Analytics, said Neural Analytics can continue to pursue product development with its recently acquired funds. Neural Analytics is now awaiting FDA approval in order to make the product available to the general public in 2016.

Aaron Green, a UCLA alumnus and vice president of operations for Neural Analytics, said its connections to UCLA have been invaluable since the company’s inception.

Neural Analytics works with advisers from the UCLA Ronald Reagan Medical Center, such as Dr. Neil Martin, chair of neurosurgery, and Dr. Paul Vespa, who specializes in neurology.

Green added UCLA’s Office of Intellectual Property and Industry Sponsored Research helps the company with patenting and licensing, and connects them to outside investors.

Petrossian said it takes a lot of effort and continuous improvement for UCLA research to go from a project to a product. Neural Analytics has been tested on more than 1,000 patients’ brains since its creation.

Most of Neural Analytics’ subjects are military personnel and athletes, Scheidt said. Researchers run tests in the clinics, high schools and homes.

After the data collector connects the headset, subjects are asked to complete breathing exercises in various intervals. The headset then takes brain measurements and compares them to baseline measurements taken prior to the injury. The procedure takes about 30 to 60 minutes to complete, Scheidt said.

Subjects are also asked to fill out four forms asking for basic patient information and self-evaluations of the concussion symptoms they experience.

After the two-week testing period ends, subjects are examined again 30 days and 90 days after the suspected injury, to measure subjects’ regular brain activity and look for changes.

With the recently acquired funding, Neural Analytics is looking to hire more staff, further develop their device and further expand into the field of brain health care and management, Petrossian said.

“We see there is a lot of opportunity in brain injury management, whether it’s in diagnosis, therapy, or monitoring,” Petrossian said. “We’ll continue to be on the lookout for opportunities to broaden (what the company can offer).”