Meet the Venture Kick alumnus helping patients with chronic paraplegia walk again
14.11.2018
In October, the EPFL announced a major scientific breakthrough in neurotechnology. Three patients with chronic paraplegia were able to walk again thanks to an electrode array implanted above their spinal cords delivering precise stimulation. GTX Medical, an EPFL spin-off and Venture Kick alumnus, will use the results to develop tailored neurotechnology, turning this rehabilitation approach into a viable treatment in hospitals. Vincent Delattre, GTX Medical COO, walked us through the ground-breaking research and the startup’s contribution.
 GTX Medical
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Tell me a little bit about your background and how you first got started with GTX medical?
Initially, Grégoire Courtine and I thought of starting a scientific collaboration, as during my PhD I had developed a framework to characterize neuroplasticity mechanisms in the brain using technologies that were relevant to his research. When he showed me his latest unpublished results, it became obvious to me that we should rather invest our efforts to translate his scientific work into clinical applications and that a company would be the only way to develop the required devices to bring this therapy to the patients. A few months later, after he had asked me to manage the IP portfolio of his lab in collaboration with the EPFL technology transfer office, I started to prepare the GTX medical business plan, that was close to 6 years ago.
Last week, the results of STIMO (STImulation Movement Overground) were published in Nature and Nature Neuroscience, leading to an incredible international media coverage. GTX medical was involved in the research helping three patients walk again. Can you describe what role the startup played in the research?
Our main role as consultants to EPFL has been to ensure the regulatory compliance of the study, for instance in establishing the technical file which is the base to obtain competent authorities’ approval to start the study. We’ve also been developing simple supportive technologies to facilitate the work of the scientists involved in the study, and more importantly, to enable patients to use the STIMO technology outside the hospital and in-home settings. Finally, the company indirectly contributed financially to the study, either through funding to the public institutions or by means of joint grant projects, resulting in the support of up to 7 scientific job positions for about 2.5 years at EPFL and in CHUV. This financial support has been critical to conduct the study which was otherwise only supported by philanthropic donations and an insufficient amount of public funding.
Surely, there were some moments along the way that were difficult to overcome. What kept you going during those times?
Passion is key. One of our first patients used to say: “we must do the impossible to make the possible possible”. With him having such a mindset, we owe him and other people with a spinal cord injury to keep going.
What does this breakthrough mean for patients with chronic paraplegia and for medicine as a whole?
It is the first time in the history of paralysis medicine that walking could be restored, even in absence of stimulation, after having lost the ability for many years. This study has changed the dogma of lifelong paralysis.
Publishing in Nature is a really big deal for any scientist, what will this recognition lead to?
Publishing in Nature is indeed a holy grail for scientists. It shows that the work is truly innovative and scientifically solid. Although, as a company, we need to do more for the patient community to benefit. We yet need to demonstrate the clinical relevance of this new therapy to a broad range of patients, with user-friendly tools that can be used in clinical settings as well as for supporting patients’ daily activities.
Your company has achieved a lot of milestones since it first started, including participating in Venture Kick. How did these experiences help develop GTX medical? What did they bring to your company and to you as an entrepreneur?
Being publicly known and recognized has been a successful door-opener and certainly has helped to build a network. In the end, we are where we are today because of all the many encounters we have made and who help us take the next step, through an advice, an introduction, or by joining forces with the team. Initially, I applied to Venture Kick program for the funding, but it turned out that the learnings, subsequent efficient communication and networking were even more valuable.
How important are offers like Venture Kick for the scientific community of Switzerland?
As scientists, we generally have little understanding of business, finance or marketing. Programs like Venture Kick are essential steps to take our project from academia to the business side of life. We’ve got some exposure but most importantly, these experiences made us aware of what we were lacking to turn our scientific vision into a business plan leading to a new therapy that can benefit a broad range of patients.
Do you have any advice to fellow scientists, looking to bring their breakthroughs to market?
It’s important to know what you don’t know and to be aware of your own limits. Therefore, it is key to consolidate a team with complementary non-scientific strengths and expertise. Too many scientists consider themselves on top of their field and therefore they think they know what should be done. But business is not science.
What are the next steps for GTX medical?
The experimental STIMO technology needs to be replaced by a mature product that can be made available to people with spinal cord injury everywhere around the world. GTX medical is currently developing Go-2, a reliable and dedicated product to turn these scientific findings into a cost-effective therapy that will improve patients’ recovery and decrease associated co-morbidities, improve patients’ independence and quality of life.
Initially, Grégoire Courtine and I thought of starting a scientific collaboration, as during my PhD I had developed a framework to characterize neuroplasticity mechanisms in the brain using technologies that were relevant to his research. When he showed me his latest unpublished results, it became obvious to me that we should rather invest our efforts to translate his scientific work into clinical applications and that a company would be the only way to develop the required devices to bring this therapy to the patients. A few months later, after he had asked me to manage the IP portfolio of his lab in collaboration with the EPFL technology transfer office, I started to prepare the GTX medical business plan, that was close to 6 years ago.
Last week, the results of STIMO (STImulation Movement Overground) were published in Nature and Nature Neuroscience, leading to an incredible international media coverage. GTX medical was involved in the research helping three patients walk again. Can you describe what role the startup played in the research?
Our main role as consultants to EPFL has been to ensure the regulatory compliance of the study, for instance in establishing the technical file which is the base to obtain competent authorities’ approval to start the study. We’ve also been developing simple supportive technologies to facilitate the work of the scientists involved in the study, and more importantly, to enable patients to use the STIMO technology outside the hospital and in-home settings. Finally, the company indirectly contributed financially to the study, either through funding to the public institutions or by means of joint grant projects, resulting in the support of up to 7 scientific job positions for about 2.5 years at EPFL and in CHUV. This financial support has been critical to conduct the study which was otherwise only supported by philanthropic donations and an insufficient amount of public funding.
Surely, there were some moments along the way that were difficult to overcome. What kept you going during those times?
Passion is key. One of our first patients used to say: “we must do the impossible to make the possible possible”. With him having such a mindset, we owe him and other people with a spinal cord injury to keep going.
What does this breakthrough mean for patients with chronic paraplegia and for medicine as a whole?
It is the first time in the history of paralysis medicine that walking could be restored, even in absence of stimulation, after having lost the ability for many years. This study has changed the dogma of lifelong paralysis.
Publishing in Nature is a really big deal for any scientist, what will this recognition lead to?
Publishing in Nature is indeed a holy grail for scientists. It shows that the work is truly innovative and scientifically solid. Although, as a company, we need to do more for the patient community to benefit. We yet need to demonstrate the clinical relevance of this new therapy to a broad range of patients, with user-friendly tools that can be used in clinical settings as well as for supporting patients’ daily activities.
Your company has achieved a lot of milestones since it first started, including participating in Venture Kick. How did these experiences help develop GTX medical? What did they bring to your company and to you as an entrepreneur?
Being publicly known and recognized has been a successful door-opener and certainly has helped to build a network. In the end, we are where we are today because of all the many encounters we have made and who help us take the next step, through an advice, an introduction, or by joining forces with the team. Initially, I applied to Venture Kick program for the funding, but it turned out that the learnings, subsequent efficient communication and networking were even more valuable.
How important are offers like Venture Kick for the scientific community of Switzerland?
As scientists, we generally have little understanding of business, finance or marketing. Programs like Venture Kick are essential steps to take our project from academia to the business side of life. We’ve got some exposure but most importantly, these experiences made us aware of what we were lacking to turn our scientific vision into a business plan leading to a new therapy that can benefit a broad range of patients.
Do you have any advice to fellow scientists, looking to bring their breakthroughs to market?
It’s important to know what you don’t know and to be aware of your own limits. Therefore, it is key to consolidate a team with complementary non-scientific strengths and expertise. Too many scientists consider themselves on top of their field and therefore they think they know what should be done. But business is not science.
What are the next steps for GTX medical?
The experimental STIMO technology needs to be replaced by a mature product that can be made available to people with spinal cord injury everywhere around the world. GTX medical is currently developing Go-2, a reliable and dedicated product to turn these scientific findings into a cost-effective therapy that will improve patients’ recovery and decrease associated co-morbidities, improve patients’ independence and quality of life.