Magneta (atrophy implant)

2022: Implant Announcement

In mid-November 2022, scientists at the Vis Institute for Biological Engineering at Harvard unveiled a mechanically active gel elastomer-nitinol fabric adhesive called Magneta.

The implantable device functions as a soft robot and can be glued to the outside of the muscle. When an electric charge is applied to the device, the inner nitinol spring heats up and starts to fire, creating the effect of contracting and stretching the attached muscle. In an animal model of muscular atrophy, the device slowed down atrophy compared to untreated muscles, suggesting it is capable of preventing or even reversing atrophy in a variety of settings.

Magneta (atrophy implant)

Muscle atrophy, in which muscles are gradually depleted, can be caused by factors ranging from immobility due to injury to neurological diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and multiple sclerosis. One possible treatment for atrophy involves stimulation and muscle manipulation in the form of mechanotherapy. However, simply by massaging the muscles, it is difficult to achieve controlled, prolonged and consistent exposure. A system capable of providing uniform muscle contraction and stretching and affecting both superficial and deeper muscle layers would be very beneficial.

With Magneta, we have developed a new integrated multicomponent system for muscle mechanostimulation that can be placed directly on muscle tissue to trigger key molecular growth pathways. Although the study provides the first evidence that stretching and contracting movements provided from the outside can prevent atrophy in an animal model, we believe that the basic design of the device can be widely adapted to various diseases where atrophy is a major problem, said Professor of Biological Engineering David Mooney.

The drive spring behind the Magneta device is protected by an elastomer matrix so that the heat generated does not affect nearby tissues, and the system also includes a strong adhesive that welds the device to the underlying muscle along the natural axis of movement of the muscle. Scientists are also experimenting with using a laser to heat the spring, making the system wireless.

The Magneta device with a strong hydrogel adhesive surface was implanted into a mouse calf muscle, which in the atrophy model was then immobilized for a longer period of time to cause muscle wasting, the developers said. Driving the device by turning on electricity allows it to contract, creating mechanical stimulation of the underlying muscle, while turning off the electricity allows the device and muscle to relax.^[1]

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