The Fleuron soft material for BCIs. [Image from Axoft on LinkedIn]
Cambridge, Massachusetts–based Axoft designed its novel Fleuron material for use in implantable brain-computer interfaces (iBCIs). Fleuron, which is 10,000 times softer than the polyimide material used in existing iBCIs, the company says, offering superior biocompatibility while reducing tissue scarring and lead migration over time.
Fleuron resembles a rubber-like version of Teflon, offering longitudinal stability as a thin-film material. It also has compatibility with high-density neural interface microfabrication while minimizing disruption to brain tissues. The material enables new applications for biomedical micro-electromechanical systems, organ-on-a-chip and implantable devices. Axoft announced preliminary results from the first-in-human clinical study of its Fleuron-utilizing iBCI last month.
Now, the company says it offers the material for purchase by research and industrial organizations for R&D applications. It’s available for purchase today for use as soft, negative photoresists for microfabrication. Axoft plans to launch more material formulations by the end of 2025 for additional biomedical engineering applications.
In addition to the commercial launch, Axoft secured an exclusive license agreement with Stanford University. The deal protects core aspects of the technology, according to a news release.
Dr. Jia Liu, Axoft’s co-founder and scientific advisor, initiated the development of Fleuron while at Stanford. Liu went on to work with Dr. Paul Le Floch, Axoft’s co-founder and CEO, to improve the scalability of Fleuron. The related IP developed at Stanford was recently licensed exclusively to Axoft for applications in iBCIs.
Commentary from CEO Dr. Paul Le Floch
“Fleuron is up to 10,000x softer than the polyimide or Parylene C used by most iBCI companies and up to 1,000,000x softer than silicon. It’s specifically designed to improve the stability of the tissue-electronics interface, reduce scar tissue and prevent implant drift within the brain over time. Fleuron can be used for a wide range of applications where hardware meets biology, including biohybrid devices, organ-on-a-chip, microfluidics and neural interfaces. It includes a platform of materials that are extremely biocompatible yet highly performant and capable of integrating with scalable manufacturing techniques. The broader research and industry landscape stands to benefit from Fleuron, as it has the potential to become a new standard in biomedical engineering.”
