2022: A year in review  

At Rune Labs, we are bringing precision neurology to our partners and showcasing the power of brain data to support care delivery and therapy development. The new year is right around the corner, and we took a moment to reflect on how far we’ve come. 

Take a walk down our Rune Labs 2022 memory lane: 

January: We kicked off the new year at the North American Neuromodulation Society (NANS) 2022 where CEO, Brian Pepin and Lead Neuroscientist, Ro’ee Gilron had the opportunity to present on aDBS and digital health. Brian touched on the three stages of neuromodulation and digital health, and how Rune Labs plays a critical role in generating different sources of data to support patients and their clinicians for neurodegenerative diseases. 

February: NeuroNews highlighted new research at Brown University and Baylor College of Medicine and how they are paving the way for adaptive DBS treatments after identifying OCD-associated brain signals, using Rune Labs technology. Participants self-reported their OCD symptom intensity and their biometric data (heart rate and general activity levels) were recorded by StriveStudy (app on iPhone and Apple Watch) passively. The behavioral measures were time-synched to brain sensing data, allowing the researchers to see if correlations exist between the two.  

March: March was the month of several publications. Featured in the Journal of Neural Engineering, Rune Labs’ latest research on concurrent stimulation and sensing in bi-direction brain interfaces was published. The article discusses new methods and other ways to improve aDBS. We also published research that explores what embedding digital chronotherapy into bioelectronic medicine looks like featured in Elsevier’s iScience Journal. 

April: We announced that American Society for Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics president, Mark Dresser, joined our Scientific Advisory Board. He has been a wonderful addition to our team, helping us make strategic business decisions around our research in neurology. 

Our very own Director of BD, Dave Samuelson, was also featured in Authority Magazine where he discussed how Rune Labs’ technology can make an important impact on our overall wellness. 

May: We hosted our very first Ideathon with Parkython to brainstorm solutions for people living with Parkinson’s Disease. We were able to bring together over 40 individuals from all over the world to talk about creative ways we can help improve an individual's quality of life. People with Parkinson's Disease (PwPD) shared their experiences, challenges, and needs which sparked ideas, proof of concepts, and project proposals on how technology can help them. 

Featured in MedCity News, CEO, Brian Pepin, also shared his thoughts on how new technologies for quantifying behavioral information and tracking neurological patterns have the potential to change treatment - but connecting data is critical. 

Later in the month, we announced our expansion into Europe with the launch of a Portuguese subsidiary, bringing deep healthcare design expertise to precision neurology for our product design team. 

June: Our StrivePD software ecosystem for Parkinson’s Disease received FDA 510(k) clearance to collect patient symptom data through measurements made by Apple Watch. This clearance has helped us expand the reach of our precision neurology platform to millions of people with or at risk of developing Parkinson’s Disease, enabling data-driven routine care and accelerating clinical trials for new Parkinson’s therapeutics. 

We were also honored to be featured in the San Francisco Chronicle as the #1 small top workplaces in the Bay Area 2022. 

July: We announced our partnership with Coastal Research Institute on identifying biomarkers of Multiple Sclerosis lesions to analyze patient neurophysiological data. Rune Labs CEO, Brian Pepin, joined ABC7 Bay Area News (12 min mark) to discuss our current plans in MS. This was a big milestone for us as we continue to scale our expertise and reach other neurodegenerative diseases and expand the frontier of neurology. 

August: CEO, Brian Pepin, and Rune Labs PAB Chair, Ben Stecher, co-authored an article discussing why we fail to treat neurodegenerative diseases. These seven guiding principles can help increase the probability of a successful future to treat neurodegeneration. 

During this month, we also launched our StrivePD explainer video. Check out how StrivePD can help PwPDs and their clinicians manage Parkinson’s care. 

September: Around the world in 30 days. September was the month of conferences. Rune Labs had the pleasure of participating and attending several international conferences and thought leadership events. We connected with leaders in the space of precision neurology and had the opportunity to learn about the cutting-edge research individuals and organizations are exploring. Our employees represented at the DBS Think Tank in Orlando, Florida, WSSFN in Incheon, Korea and the MDS Congress in Madrid, Spain. 

October: We were not only featured in Built In San Francisco’s list of 20 SF companies to watch among other great names in the tech space, but we also turned 4! On the StrivePD side, we launched a new feature, Comparison Mode, on the StrivePD clinician dashboard. Neurologists and movement disorder specialists are now able to objectively view the impact of their patient’s interventions over time, including their patient’s DBS settings or medication regimens. 

November: In early November, we shared that we partnered with our 100th StrivePD clinical site (and counting)! Here at Rune Labs, it is our mission to empower people with Parkinson’s Disease to better understand their symptoms and receive better and more tailored care from their clinicians. This milestone is a meaningful step towards bringing data-enriched care to all individuals living with Parkinson’s. 

December: Rune Labs was recognized as one of the most promising digital health companies in 2022 by CB Insights! It was an honor to be featured amongst other innovative health care companies in the space. We congratulate all the companies who made the Digital Health 150!

We are so thankful for the amazing team we have here today, making a difference one step at a time. Though we’ve accomplished much, there’s still so much more to do. We are excited to continue to help improve patient outcomes for those living with neurodegenerative diseases. Cheers to 2023!

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