(Reuters) – Elon Musk’s brain implant company Neuralink said on Thursday it will launch a clinical study in Great Britain to test how its chips can enable patients with severe paralysis to control digital and physical tools with their thoughts.
The company is partnering with the University College London Hospitals trust and Newcastle Hospitals to conduct the study, it said in a post on X.
Neuralink said patients living with paralysis due to conditions such as spinal cord injury and a nervous system disease called Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) qualify to participate in the study.
The company raised $650 million in its latest funding round last month. It began human trials in 2024 on its brain implant after resolving safety concerns flagged by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which had initially rejected Neuralink’s application in 2022.
According to the company, five patients with severe paralysis are currently using its device to control digital and physical tools with their thoughts.
Neuralink, founded in 2016, has raised about $1.3 billion from investors and is valued at roughly $9 billion, according to media reports, citing PitchBook.
(Reporting by Christy Santhosh in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)
