Onward Medical launches system to restore hand strength in chronic spinal cord injury
Onward Medical announced today the first sale of an innovative system that helps with spinal cord injuries in the US.
Published on January 9, 2025
Onward Medical announced the first sale of the ARC-EX system in the United States. According to the company, this system is the first and only technology approved by the FDA to improve hand strength and sensation in people with chronic spinal cord injury.
Seven million people
Paraplegia affects about seven million people worldwide, including more than 300,000 in the United States. In half of the cases, tetraplegia occurs, affecting all four limbs. This makes everyday tasks such as eating, personal care or using a telephone extremely difficult. In addition to the direct loss of motor and sensory functions, people with paraplegia struggle with secondary complications such as incontinence, poor blood pressure regulation and loss of sexual functions. The economic impact is also significant: according to the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center, lifetime treatment costs for tetraplegia exceed $5 million.
Spinal cord stimulation
The ARC-EX system uses spinal cord stimulation to improve arm and hand function in patients with spinal cord injury, allowing them to regain use of their limbs. This increases their independence and improves their quality of life. 90% of participants in the earlier study experienced improved upper limb strength and function.
A crucial step
“The first commercial sale of our ARC-EX system is a crucial step in our mission to help people with spinal cord injury. It demonstrates that we can successfully translate scientific discoveries into practical impact for people with spinal cord injury,” said Dave Marver, CEO of ONWARD Medical.
Launch in Europe
The system may currently be used in clinics in the United States. Onward expects approval for home use in 2025. The company also plans to apply for CE marking in early 2025, with a commercial launch in Europe in the second half of 2025. The company is also developing new technologies, such as the ARC-IM implant and the ARC-BCI system, a platform that uses a brain-computer interface (BCI) and is powered by AI.
Onward is a previous winner of the Gerard & Anton Awards.
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