| Headquarters | Haifa, Israel |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 |
| Key Product | Exablate Neuro |
| Indication | Essential tremor, Parkinson's disease tremor |
Insightec is a global medical technology company pioneering non-invasive focused ultrasound (FUS) treatments. The company developed the Exablate Neuro platform — the first and only FDA-approved MRI-guided focused ultrasound system for treating tremor in patients with Parkinson's disease and essential tremor[1].
Insightec's technology enables clinicians to perform non-invasive thalamotomy — ablating the Vim (ventral intermediate) nucleus of the thalamus — without surgical incision, radiation, or implantation. This represents a paradigm shift from traditional surgical approaches like deep brain stimulation (DBS) which require hardware implantation[2].
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Haifa, Israel |
| Founded | 1999 |
| CEO | Maurice R. Ferré (CEO & Chairman) |
| Employees | 500+ |
| Key Product | Exablate Neuro |
| Regulatory Status | FDA approved for ET and PD tremor |
The Exablate Neuro system consists of:
The system delivers concentrated ultrasound energy to a precise focal point in the brain:
The procedure is performed under conscious sedation, with patients typically going home the same day[3].
Insightec's primary indication in PD is tremor-dominant Parkinson's disease with the following characteristics:
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Target | Vim thalamus |
| Indication | Medication-refractory tremor |
| Efficacy | 50-80% tremor reduction |
| Durability | Sustained at 2+ years[4] |
The first FDA-approved indication (2016) was for essential tremor, providing an alternative to medication and surgical options[5].
| Trial | N | Endpoint | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| NCT01827948 | 76 | Tremor score | 50% improvement at 12 months |
| ENACT | 101 | Quality of life | Significant ADL improvement |
| 2018 PD Trial | 20 | Tremor | 62% reduction in UPDRS tremor |
| Company | Technology | Approach | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insightec | Exablate Neuro | Non-invasive FUS | FDA approved |
| Boston Scientific | Vercise DBS | Invasive implantation | FDA approved |
| Medtronic | Activa | Invasive implantation | FDA approved |
| Abbott | Infinity | Invasive implantation | FDA approved |
Key differentiation: Insightec is the only company offering a non-invasive treatment option — no burr hole, no hardware, no surgical risk.