Our Technology
TheraSonic is leveraging focused ultrasound technology to improve the treatment of brain diseases. Discover the physiological properties of the blood vessels in the brain, how they can limit the delivery of pharmacological treatment and how we are addressing this challenge.
The challenge of the blood-brain barrier
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a protective layer of tightly joined cells that covers the blood vessels in the brain. It prevents harmful substances, such as toxins and infectious agents, from diffusing into the surrounding brain tissue.
However, this barrier also limits the amount of medication that can reach diseased brain targets, which is a significant challenge for treating a wide range of neurologic conditions, including brain tumors, neurodegenerative disease, and neurogenetic disorders.
Focused Ultrasound: A Key to the Blood-Brain Barrier
Focused ultrasound, coupled to microbubbles, has been shown to open the BBB in a noninvasive, safe, and targeted manner.
Microbubbles are microscopic gas-filled spheres injected into the bloodstream as a standard ultrasound contrast agent. When they pass through a focused ultrasound (FUS) field, they rapidly expand and contract in response to acoustic pressure changes: this phenomenon is called cavitation.
At low acoustic energy, the cavitation remains stable and controlled. The oscillating microbubbles mechanically interact with the walls of brain capillaries, gently stretching the tight junctions that form the blood–brain barrier (BBB). This temporarily increases BBB permeability, allowing drugs circulating in the blood to diffuse into the brain tissue.
The effect is localized to the ultrasound focal point, non-invasive, and reversible, with the BBB naturally restoring its integrity within hours to days.
A New Horizon in Neurological Treatments
Temporary disruption of the blood-brain barrier in a safe and targeted manner with focused ultrasound unlocks a vast array of potential treatments. Various therapeutic biologics, including gene therapies, can be delivered for the treatment of brain cancer and neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Huntington’s disease, among many other neurological disorders.
This technique is being tested clinically for the treatment of various brain tumors, ALS, and Alzheimer’s disease. The safety and feasibility of using focused ultrasound BBB disruption (FUS-BBBD) has been established for different devices, repeated sessions, and different chemotherapies.