What Aleva Neurotherapeutics does

Aleva Neurotherapeutics SA is a Swiss privately-held medical device company founded in 2008 as a spin-off of the EPFL Microsystems Laboratory of Prof. Philippe Renaud, headquartered at EPFL Innovation Park in Lausanne. The company designs, manufactures, and commercializes the directSTIM Directional Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) system for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and Essential Tremor. Its core technical platform combines a MEMS-based 12-electrode directional lead (3-3-3-3 configuration with rounded contacts that avoid hotspots) and a 24-channel Multiple Independent Current Control (MICC) Implantable Pulse Generator — the highest number of independent directional contacts and current sources on the DBS market. The lead uses significantly less metal than competitors to reduce imaging artefacts in MRI/CT, and the system is CE-marked with full-body 1.5T MRI conditional labeling.

The company's business model is hardware sales of implantable directSTIM components (24-Channel IPG Model 12000, 12-Electrode Lead Model 11500, 12-Connector Extension Model 12100) plus clinician and patient accessories (Clinician Programmer Model 12200, Patient Programmer Charger Model 12300, External Trial Stimulator Model 12400, Magnet Model 12700), bundled with limited warranty and post-implant support services. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed. Aleva sells direct to leading neurological hospitals and clinics in Europe through an enterprise field-sales motion, supplemented by event-driven engagement at neuromodulation congresses, gated professional training, and multilingual patient content (English, German, Turkish). US market entry is being built through an FDA-approved Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) study at up to 15 institutions enrolling up to 136 patients to support a future PMA application.

Aleva has raised approximately $74.3M in disclosed funding across multiple rounds from 2008 to 2021, with investors including BB Biotech Ventures, BioMedPartners, Forrestal Capital, Initiative Capital Romandie, Kinled Holding, Greatbatch, and KREAXI. The company holds 13 patent families and 90 granted patents in DBS technologies for neurological and psychiatric diseases. Leadership includes co-founder and CSO André Mercanzini, co-founder and managing partner Claudio Pollo (lead author on the landmark 2014 Brain paper on directional DBS), Chairman Jeffrey B. Jump, CFO Alexandre Grassin, and CEO Alain Jordan (as of September 2022, succeeding Stefano Alfonsi). Operations are GDPR-compliant and software development is conducted under an ISO 13485 quality management system.

Name

Aleva Neurotherapeutics

Legal name

Aleva Neurotherapeutics SA

Website

https://aleva-neuro.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Aleva Neurotherapeutics is a Lausanne-based medical device company that designs, manufactures, and commercializes the directSTIM directional Deep Brain Stimulation system for Parkinson's disease and Essential Tremor, selling direct to leading neurological hospitals and clinics in Europe while pursuing US FDA approval via an IDE-enabling PMA trial.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Neurostimulation Medical Devices

NAICS

Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510), Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)

akta.pro primary industry

Implantable Neuromodulation & Neurostimulation (SCS/DBS/VNS/PNS) (HLAHAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industry

Neurology Telemedicine Platforms (HLALAGAC)

Keywords

• Directional deep brain stimulation
• Implantable pulse generator
• Neurostimulation medical devices
• Parkinson disease therapy
• Essential tremor treatment

Headquarters

HQ city

Lausanne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Technology or R&D, Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. directSTIM DBS System Hardware Sales: Sale of implantable directSTIM DBS system components (24-Channel IPG Model 12000, 12-Electrode Lead Model 11500, 12-Connector Extension Model 12100) plus accessories (Clinician Programmer, Patient Programmer Charger, Magnet) to neurological clinics and hospitals performing DBS surgery.
2. Limited Warranty and After-Sales Support Services: Limited warranty coverage and customer/technical support services tied to the implanted directSTIM DBS system, including replacement documentation, customer service line, and post-implant follow-up resources.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Aleva Neurotherapeutics develops and commercializes the directSTIM™ Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) System, an implantable neurostimulation platform comprising a 24-channel rechargeable Implantable Pulse Generator (Model 12000), a 12-electrode directional lead (Model 11500), a 12-connector extension (Model 12100), an External Pulse Generator (Model 12400), a Clinician Programmer (Model 12200), a Patient Programmer Charger (Model 12300), and a Magnet (Model 12700). The system is intended for the treatment of Parkinson's disease and Essential Tremor, and uses Multiple Independent Current Control to enable directional current steering for patient-specific therapy.

Product overview

Aleva Neurotherapeutics offers a single integrated medical-device platform — the directSTIM™ DBS System — rather than a multi-product portfolio. The platform is built around a core implanted subsystem (the directSTIM™ 24-Channel Implantable Pulse Generator Model 12000, the directSTIM™ 12-Electrode Lead Model 11500 and the directSTIM™ 12-Connector Extension Model 12100) that together deliver directional deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease and essential tremor. It is complemented by an external accessory subsystem (the directSTIM™ External Pulse Generator Model 12400 trial stimulator, the directSTIM™ Clinician Programmer Model 12200, the directSTIM™ Patient Programmer Charger Model 12300, and the directSTIM™ Magnet Model 12700) that supports intraoperative testing, programming and patient control. Aleva's roadmap layers a planned digital, AI-powered clinical-data ecosystem on top of the hardware to power surgical and programming insights.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• directSTIM™: Aleva's flagship Directional Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) System featuring a 12-electrode lead and 24-channel rechargeable Implantable Pulse Generator, CE-marked for treating Parkinson's disease and essential tremor in Europe.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24 fully independent directional contacts (highest on the market) combined with 24 independent current sources in the IPG
• +5 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability4 records

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship / origin partner, core event partner, critical path-to-market partner for us commercialization and core us launch partners.

• Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) Microsystems Laboratory of Prof. Philippe Renaudflagship / origin partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPFL Microsystems Laboratory is the originating research partner that developed the MEMS technology underlying the directSTIM 12-electrode lead. Aleva Neurotherapeutics was founded as a spin-off of EPFL specifically to commercialize this technology for DBS applications. The lead technology is publicly attributed to EPFL's lmis4 laboratory.
• German Society for Neuromodulation (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Neuromodulation e.V.)core event partnerGTM or Marketing PartnerAleva participated as an exhiber/attendee at the 17th Annual Conference of the German Society for Neuromodulation (November 4-5, 2022, Victor's Residenz-Hotel Gera, Berliner Strasse 38, 07545 Gera, Germany). Used to reach European movement disorder specialists.
• U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)critical path-to-market partner for us commercializationOthersAleva received FDA approval for an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE) study in February 2022 to begin a US PMA trial at up to 15 US institutions with up to 136 US patients. The IDE protocol collects safety and efficacy data to support a future PMA application.
• Up to 15 US clinical study sites (under FDA IDE)core us launch partnersImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAleva is committed to starting the PMA trial in parallel with the ongoing post-market clinical follow-up study in select European neurological clinics. The US trial will enroll up to 136 US patients across up to 15 US institutions, generating safety and efficacy data for the PMA application.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Medtronic: Global leader in DBS with the Activa system and the largest installed base of implantable neurostimulators worldwide. Directly competes with Aleva in the same indication (Parkinson's, essential tremor, dystonia) and is Aleva's most important incumbent competitor.
• Boston Scientific: Markets the Vercise DBS System with directional leads and Multiple Independent Current Control technology, directly competing with Aleva's directSTIM in Parkinson's and essential tremor. Boston Scientific's Vercise platform uses similar directional-stimulation concepts and overlaps on the same clinical customer base.
• Abbott: Markets the Infinity DBS System (acquired via St. Jude Medical), one of the three major incumbent DBS systems. Directly competes with Aleva in the same implant category, customer base, and indications, with established US and global commercial reach.
• SceneRay: Chinese neuromodulation company developing DBS systems for movement disorders. Competes with Aleva in the same DBS category, primarily in the Chinese market, and represents a regional alternative with similar directional-stimulation concepts.
• Beijing Pins Medical: Chinese medical device company offering the PINS (Pins Medical) DBS system for Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders. Directly comparable DBS product and indications to Aleva, but primarily serves the China market.

Emerging players

• NeuroPace: Markets the RNS System, a closed-loop responsive neurostimulator for epilepsy rather than DBS, but operates in the same implantable neurostimulation category, with comparable hospital/neurology sales channels and a similar company-size profile.
• Functional Neuromodulation: Early-stage DBS company developing DBS for Alzheimer's disease, using Medtronic Activa hardware in clinical studies. Operates in the same DBS clinical/research category and would compete for indication-expansion mind-share if it advances.

Broad incumbents

• LivaNova: Incumbent neuromodulation company offering Vagus Nerve Stimulation (VNS) therapy for epilepsy and depression. Operates in the broader implantable neuromodulation space, sharing sales channels with hospital neurology and neurosurgery customers, though not in the DBS subsegment.
• Nevro: Markets the HF10 high-frequency spinal cord stimulation system, operating in the broader implantable neurostimulation category. Comparable in that it sells implantable stimulation devices to neurosurgery/pain-medicine specialists, but addresses a different indication.

Regional players

• MicroPort Scientific: China-based medical device conglomerate with a neuromodulation portfolio that has historically included DBS-adjacent technologies. Comparable in category and in serving emerging DBS markets, particularly in Asia, with broad device-portfolio commercial reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aleva-neurotherapeutics-sa

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds9 records

Investors11 records

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Aleva Neurotherapeutics