SonoNeu has emerged from stealth as part of a $41.3m ARPA-H programme to advance sonogenetics towards clinical use.

The company, a spin-out from the Salk Institute, will act as the commercial arm of a multi-institution collaboration led by the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, aimed at developing sonogenetics as a non-invasive therapeutic approach.

The programme, funded by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, brings together six academic and research institutions to generate the biological tools, delivery systems and preclinical data needed to move the technology into clinical trials.

SonoNeu has been awarded up to $5.2m as part of the overall funding package, with the full programme valued at up to $41.3m over a six-year period.

Sonogenetics is an emerging modality that enables targeted control of cells using ultrasound. Cells are engineered to express ultrasound-sensitive proteins, allowing their activity to be modulated with spatial and temporal precision without the need for implanted devices or drug-based interventions.

The collaboration includes Scripps Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Duke University, University of California San Diego, University of Manitoba and the California Medical Innovations Institute, each contributing expertise across protein engineering, delivery systems and translational validation.

Sreekanth Chalasani, co-founder of SonoNeu and lead principal investigator for the programme, said: “This award is a major step toward a long-held goal – a drug-free way to deliver therapy exactly where it’s needed and only when it’s needed. We are building a platform that pairs engineered ultrasound-sensitive proteins with wearable ultrasound technology. One possible outcome may be to promote nerve repair and the relief of pain for people living with both common and debilitating conditions, including neuropathy indications.”

The programme will focus on developing methods to deliver ultrasound-sensitive proteins into specific cell types, alongside next-generation ultrasound systems capable of activating those cells with high precision.

The initial focus is on peripheral conditions such as neuropathy, though the technology may have broader applications in neurological disorders including epilepsy and Parkinson’s disease. Researchers also point to potential use in non-invasive brain-computer interface approaches, although these applications remain at an early stage.

Venkat Reddy, co-founder of SonoNeu, said: “Sonogenetics holds incredible promise for treating an array of conditions in a drug-free and non-invasive manner. General Inception is proud to have co-founded SonoNeu and believes this up to $41.3 million ARPA-H award will go a long way to advancing this incredible technology.”

The collaboration reflects growing interest in non-invasive neuromodulation approaches as an alternative to implant-based technologies such as deep brain stimulation.

While the programme is still at a preclinical stage, the combination of government funding and multi-institutional collaboration signals increasing momentum behind sonogenetics as a potential new therapeutic modality.