Vercise Genus DBS by Boston Scientific: status and timeline

Vercise Genus DBS

Fourth-generation DBS with 16-contact directional leads offering advanced electrode geometry.

DeployStage 4 of 5

FDA approved Jan 2021 for Parkinson's and essential tremor. 16 directional contacts, 200% greater span.

Updated 18 Jun 2024Checked 10 Oct0 updates this week

Milestones

No announced next step

Advanced Bionics acquisitionJun 2004Complete.
Intelect Medical acquisitionJan 2011Complete.
Vercise Genus development2016Complete.
FDA approvalJan 2021Complete.
Directional leads supplement18 Jun 2024Complete.

Most important updates

Current obstacles

Electrode placement precisionDespite imaging, precise placement in exact location requires surgeon expertise and intraoperative imaging.
Market penetrationMedtronic has large installed base; Boston Scientific must demonstrate clinical advantages.

Physics limits

Brain heterogeneityIndividual variation in brain structure and disease pathology means some patients respond well, others poorly.
Electrical field physicsElectrical stimulation spreads in spherical pattern in tissue; directional leads improve focus but complete directional control is impossible.
Surgical complexityDBS surgery requires frame-based stereotaxy and specialist expertise, limiting procedural volume.

How it works

3 parts

Electrode design

Multi-contact directional leads

16-contact array focuses stimulation in specific directions within the brain.

Imaging integration

Illumina 3D programming

3D brain imaging helps clinicians optimize electrode placement for each patient's anatomy.

Control

Programmer device

Patients control intensity with programmer; adjustments made at clinic visits by neurologist.

Spec sheet

Spec	Vercise Genus DBS
Directional contacts	16^R (reported)
Directional span vs. competitors	>200%^R (reported)
Directional contacts ratio	2.5x more^R (reported)
Lead available lengths	30 or 45 cm^R (reported)

^R reported by the company

Update log

2 updates

Tue 18 Jun 2024

Minor: FDA approves Vercise Genus for two-sided essential tremor stimulationPressRegulatory

Jan 2021

Major: FDA approves Boston Scientific Vercise Genus with 16-contact directional leadsPressRegulatory

About Boston Scientific

The team behind Vercise Genus DBS

Boston Scientific

Neuromodulation, DBS, cardiovascular devices, medical devices

Boston Scientific manufactures DBS systems including Vercise Genus with 16-contact directional leads. Entered neuromodulation via Advanced Bionics (2004) and Intelect Medical (2011).

Boston Scientific acquired Advanced Bionics 2004 and Intelect Medical 2011 to enter neuromodulation.
Vercise Genus launched Jan 2021, features 16-contact directional leads with >200% directional span.
Second-largest neuromodulation player; competes with Medtronic and Abbott in DBS and SCS.

bostonscientific.com (opens bostonscientific.com)Company profile →

Founded: 197947 yrs
Headquarters: United States
Status: Public
Valuation: public
Staff: ~59,000Jan 2025
Works in: NeurotechStimulation therapies
Coverage: 1 program · 4 updateslatest 18 Jun 2024checked 10 Oct
Partners: FDA (opens fda.gov)
Acquired by: Advanced Bionics (opens news.bostonscientific.com)Intelect Medical

Spec

Vercise Genus DBS

Directional contacts

16^R (reported)

Directional span vs. competitors

>200%^R (reported)

Directional contacts ratio

2.5x more^R (reported)

Lead available lengths

30 or 45 cm^R (reported)