Diabetes affects 38 million adults in the USA, with nearly 1 in 10 people facing this chronic disease. Half of them will develop diabetic neuropathy, experiencing pain and loss of sensation in their feet—conditions that drastically diminish their quality of life.
Imagine living with constant, unyielding pain that steals your ability to work, enjoy simple pleasures, or even walk without fear. Many turn to addictive or harmful medications, while others simply suffer in silence, trapped by a condition that leaves them powerless.
But pain is only part of the story. Sensory loss means that even a simple pebble in the shoe can go unnoticed, grinding into the skin until a wound turns into an ulcer, leading to infection and, ultimately, amputation. Falls are another hidden danger; without sensation, patients lose their balance and face serious, sometimes fatal injuries.
The reality is grim: every 30 seconds, someone loses a limb to a diabetic foot ulcer, and 70% of amputees won't survive the next five years. This devastates lives and burdens healthcare, costing $50 billion annually in the U.S.—about 1% of total healthcare spending.
Diabetic neuropathy is a silent thief, stealing sensation, mobility, and independence. Addressing this crisis means more than treating symptoms—it's about restoring dignity and hope to millions who suffer every day.
Fortunately, the medical device industry is pushing for solutions. Sensars is one such company. Its co-founders, Guy Siman (COO) and Francesco Petrini (CEO), along with their team, have developed a breakthrough approach that tackles the root cause of diabetic neuropathy: the loss of natural sensations.
Sensars's technology restores sensations by hacking the nervous system. Using intraneural electrodes, we bypass the damaged portion of the nerve and reestablish natural communication with the brain, bringing back authentic sensory feedback. Our system uses wearable touch and movement sensors to replace the skin's lost ability to gather sensory information from interactions with the ground and during movement. This restoration of natural sensations doesn't just treat pain; it prevents the full spectrum of complications—from ulcers and falls to gait problems—allowing patients to live without fear of the next step.
Unlike traditional treatments like spinal cord stimulation (SCS) and peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS), which only mask pain without restoring natural sensations, Sensars goes further. These conventional methods can relieve pain but fall short—they do not help patients feel their feet again during walking or daily activities. As a result, they cannot prevent the underlying dangers of neuropathy, such as unnoticed injuries, ulcers, amputations, or falls.
"Our vision is to bring a new way of neuromodulation," says Petrini. "We're not just masking the symptoms; we're fixing the problem at its core." With Sensars, patients don't just manage their condition—they get their sensations, independence, and life back.
Sensars' Features
Sensars' intraneural approach addresses the shortcomings of traditional treatments by targeting the root cause of sensory loss and pain. Their patented intrafascicular electrode implant delivers precise stimulation directly within the nerve, bypassing damaged areas and restoring natural sensations without triggering unwanted muscle contractions or activating incorrect nerve fibers. Sensars has secured additional provisional patents for its innovative implant delivery tool and system to prevent wire motion, ensuring consistent and accurate placement of electrodes inside nerves for reliable restoration of sensory feedback and effective therapy.
Sensars' SENSY technology uses biomimetic stimulation to restore the natural sensations of touch, which not only alleviates pain but also prevents the development of ulcers, reduces fall risk, and improves balance and mobility during real-world activities. Unlike other devices that merely mask pain, SENSY fully engages the nerve's natural pathways to recreate authentic sensations, helping patients feel their feet and live confidently.
Additionally, Sensars integrates advanced artificial intelligence for gait analysis, providing clinicians with actionable insights into patient movement patterns to further enhance therapeutic outcomes. The system includes a patient app, giving users control over their treatment and the flexibility to adjust their therapy in real time. With wearable sensors tracking touch and movement, SENSY delivers continuous, natural sensation restoration during everyday activities, ensuring comprehensive management of neuropathy and its complications.
Sensars' Traction and Future
Petrini shares, "Our initial mission and target currently is diabetic neuropathy, but our neurotechnology creates countless new possibilities for the future, from hand and foot pain, to prosthetic control, to obesity, depression treatment and beyond."
I believe our product will be widely used in the future, starting with diabetic neuropathy and expanding to help those with pain and sensory loss in their extremities and related movement dysfunctions, such as amputees.
Due to the high standard treatment costs, the potential for significant reimbursement is undeniable. With few hospital partnerships and a modest patient base, this can quickly scale into a major business, generating multimillion-dollar revenues and driving rapid growth.
"Our technology aims to enhance vagus nerve stimulation by delivering side-effect-free therapy, unlike current methods. Additionally, we envision novel applications for vagus nerve stimulation in treating diabetes and obesity, revolutionizing the standard of care in these areas," Petrini adds.
Living with diabetic neuropathy really isn't living. Sensars's intraneural stimulation represents a transformative leap not just in pain management but in restoring natural sensations, preventing ulcers, reducing fall risks, and ultimately reclaiming quality of life. With its strong foundation in research and innovation, Sensars is taking the lead when it comes to neuromodulation, and for the 38 million people suffering, that is some hopeful news.
To discover the power of neuromodulation, go to www.sensars.com.
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