Aurenar, a neurotechnology startup developing a non-invasive wearable device, V-Link, designed to reduce cerebral vasospasm in adults with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage, closed a $5.7 million seed financing round, co-led by the Go Red for Women Venture Fund and Solas BioVentures, with additional participation from BJC Health and Kaleida Capital.
The Go Red Venture Fund is part of American Heart Association Ventures, the venture capital platform of the American Heart Association.
Aurenar was founded based on research from Eric Leuthardt, Anna Huguenard, and colleagues at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The randomized SAH trial they conducted demonstrated that taVNS reduced moderate-to-severe vasospasm by more than 40%, lowered pro-inflammatory cytokines, and improved functional outcomes.
V-Link has recently received breakthrough device designation from the FDA. It is a wireless device that makes it easier for neuro-intensive care physicians and ICU nursing staff to use the device without extensive training and supports faster onboarding and clinical adoption.
With fresh funds, Aurenar will fund continued advancement toward pivotal trials, including final device development, verification and validation (V&V) testing, and regulatory submissions to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“This seed close marks a pivotal moment for Aurenar,” said Dr. Leuthardt, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Aurenar and a professor of neurosurgery at WashU Medicine. “With the support of the Go Red for Women Venture Fund, Solas BioVentures, and our broader investor group, we are positioned to advance from early-stage neurotechnology to a pivotal-trial-ready company. Every dollar of this round is committed to milestones that help us improve outcomes for patients in the most critical moments of their care.”