Brain+ A/S has announced the enrollment of the first patient in a clinical trial evaluating BrainBlossom, a novel cognitive training technology, for individuals with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). The trial, conducted in collaboration with Aalborg University Hospital in Denmark, aims to assess the feasibility and impact of BrainBlossom as a home-delivered treatment for MCI, a condition affecting an estimated 150-200 million people worldwide.
BrainBlossom: A Next-Generation Cognitive Training Technology
BrainBlossom is designed to provide targeted cognitive training for individuals with MCI, often considered a precursor to dementia. Developed with top scientists as part of a €1.5 million EU-funded project, BrainBlossom is a core component of Brain+'s pipeline product, CST-MCI. The technology builds on validated cognitive training methods and is designed for scalable, at-home delivery.
Nahid Zokaie, Chief Scientific Officer at Brain+, stated, "I am thrilled to begin the randomized clinical trial with MCI patients. Our proprietary Brainblossom cognitive training technology builds on an already proven methodology for cognitive training in MCI and dementia. With our solution, this impactful method now has the potential to be delivered at scale and directly into the homes of people to the benefit of many more living with MCI."
Trial Design and Objectives
The clinical trial is a randomized, single-blind, controlled study involving 40 participants diagnosed with MCI. Participants will be randomly assigned to either an active condition arm, using the BrainBlossom solution for memory training, or a control arm with a similar interface but lacking the training element. The four-week at-home training program will be followed by a comprehensive battery of cognitive tests and questionnaires to evaluate the impact of the training on cognitive function.
The primary objectives of the study are to investigate the feasibility of using BrainBlossom as a home-based cognitive training tool for individuals with MCI and to assess its impact on common cognitive impairments associated with MCI, particularly those affecting short-term and long-term memory.
The study protocol has been published in psyArXiv.
Future Implications and Market Opportunity
If the trial yields positive results, Brain+ plans to conduct a larger clinical trial to generate regulatory data and seek a partnership for commercialization, potentially with a pharmaceutical company. MCI represents a significant market opportunity, with a prevalence 3-4 times higher than dementia. Many new dementia drugs, such as Lecanemab/Leqembi, also target the MCI stage, making CST-MCI a potentially complementary therapy.
Brain+'s CST-MCI product aims to combine Cognitive Stimulation Therapy (CST) with the BrainBlossom cognitive training technology, offering a multi-modal approach to address cognitive decline in MCI.
