CereGate Closes Oversubscribed Series C Round

The Munich-based medtech company CereGate has closed an oversubscribed Series C funding round. The financing is led by an internationally active U.S. medical technology group, whose name has not been disclosed. In addition to existing investors, Impact Ventures from Budapest is also participating. CereGate plans to use the capital to advance the clinical development of its brain-computer interface technology, which is intended to be used in particular to treat gait disorders in Parkinson’s patients. The amount of the funding was not disclosed.

Strategic Investor Leads Funding Round

With this new funding round, CereGate has secured an unnamed strategic investor from the U.S. medical technology industry. Existing shareholders are also participating again, while Impact Ventures is investing in the Munich-based company for the first time. According to CereGate, the funding round was oversubscribed. This means that investor demand exceeded the originally planned funding volume. The company has not disclosed details regarding the actual amount raised, the valuation, or the ownership stakes. CereGate is now focusing primarily on the further clinical development of its technology. The capital is intended to help continue ongoing studies and lay the groundwork for potential future therapeutic applications.

Brain-Computer Interface for Neurological Disorders

CereGate was founded in 2019 and develops brain-computer interface (BCI) technology for the treatment of neurological disorders. The company is headquartered in Munich and has a subsidiary in the United States. At the heart of its work is a software solution that runs on deep brain stimulation systems from Boston Scientific. The technology is currently being used in clinical trials. In deep brain stimulation, specific regions of the brain are electrically stimulated via implanted electrodes. The procedure is already used to treat various neurological disorders, particularly Parkinson’s disease. CereGate is working to expand the capabilities of such systems using its own software. The company is initially focusing on a condition for which existing treatment options are often not sufficiently effective.

Focus on Gait Freezing in Parkinson’s Disease

CereGate’s first clinical indication is “freezing of gait,” or FoG for short. This refers to a sudden inability to walk that occurs in some Parkinson’s patients. Those affected may temporarily have difficulty initiating a step or continuing a movement they have already started. Such episodes can significantly impair daily life and increase the risk of falls. A particular challenge is that, in some patients, the symptoms persist despite optimized medication. Even established deep brain stimulation procedures are often insufficient to alleviate these gait freezes. CereGate aims to use its technology to develop additional treatment options for this patient group. The software is already being evaluated in clinical trials for this purpose. In its latest announcement, the company does not provide details on therapeutic efficacy, the number of study participants, or potential approval timelines.

Software on Boston Scientific Systems

A key component of the development approach is the use of existing medical technology hardware. CereGate’s software runs on deep brain stimulation systems from the U.S. medical technology company Boston Scientific. The Munich-based company is thus focusing on the software-based advancement of neurological stimulation methods. Technical integration into existing systems may be relevant for clinical development, as the corresponding hardware is already in use for medical applications. However, this does not automatically imply approval or confirmation of the effectiveness of the additional CereGate technology. Furthermore, the collaboration or technical use of Boston Scientific systems should not be equated with the identity of the new lead investor. CereGate explicitly does not name the lead investor in the Series C round.

Research Also Focuses on Spinal Cord Stimulation

In addition to clinical development for Parkinson’s patients, CereGate is conducting further research in the field of spinal cord stimulation. This procedure uses electrical impulses to influence signal processing in the nervous system. The technology is being studied and applied in various medical contexts. The press release does not specify which specific applications CereGate is pursuing in this area of research or how far along the respective projects are. The company’s current focus remains on the clinical development of its BCI technology for freezing of gait.

Funding for the Next Phase of Clinical Development

CereGate CEO Matthias Puls describes the strategic investor’s participation and Impact Ventures’ entry as an important step for the company. The new funding is intended to enable the company to continue its clinical work on the technology. There is a significant need for additional therapeutic options, particularly for Parkinson’s patients with persistent gait freezes. With the completion of the Series C round, CereGate states that it now has additional financial support for this development phase. The results of the clinical trials will be particularly decisive for the company’s future course. Only on this basis can an assessment be made of the therapeutic benefits the technology offers and what further steps are necessary toward potential market approval. The new funding thus primarily strengthens the clinical development of the Munich-based neurotechnology company. A specific timeline for a commercial launch has not been announced.