Suiren Medical: Pioneering Digital Therapeutics for Brain Health with Multimodal Cognitive Assessment System

Brain science has long been regarded as the final frontier of human scientific exploration and the field most likely to yield revolutionary breakthroughs; brain disorders also remain among the most poorly understood and burdensome disease areas today.

According to World Health Organization statistics, approximately 1 billion people worldwide are affected by mental disorders, including brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and epilepsy. Data released by Alzheimer's Disease International in 2018 indicates that in 2017, there were 50 million people living with dementia globally, of whom over 60% had Alzheimer's disease; the remaining cases comprised vascular dementia, mixed dementia, Lewy body dementia, and frontotemporal degeneration. All of these conditions cause irreversible damage to the brain.

Data source: CNKI, compiled by VCBeat

Currently, the number of Alzheimer's disease patients in China has exceeded 10 million, ranking first globally. If left uncontrolled, this figure is projected to reach 23.3 million by 2030, imposing an economic burden of up to $114.2 billion on China's economy.

How to safeguard brain health? Suiren (Shanghai) Medical Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Suiren") is working tirelessly toward this goal.

In ancient times, “Suiren's fire-drilling was an extraordinary feat, bringing daily renewal to the world ever since.” Today, Suiren Medical is dedicated to becoming the “fire-driller” in exploring the brain's cognitive activities. Founded in 2018, Suiren Medical is a digital therapeutics enterprise focused on leveraging brain-computer system technology to address brain health issues. It currently operates two major product pipelines: brain-computer systems and digital therapeutics.

Cai Jiang, Founder of Suiren Medical

The career path of Cai Jiang, founder of Suiren Medical, has consistently been intertwined with the technology and healthcare industries. Since graduating from Tsinghua University, he has remained dedicated to exploring the field of artificial intelligence.

From first-generation image recognition technology to today’s brain-computer interface technology, steadily forging ahead in the AI field, from the first facial recognition-based search engine software—Lianxun to the first multimodal brain data acquisition and analysis system in China—the Brain Function Evaluation and Screening System (BESS), he has consistently delivered outstanding achievements in the AI sector.

In 2006, Cai Jiang joined Green Valley Group; in 2018, at the invitation of Zhang Xu, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and then-Director of the Institute of Brain and Intelligence Technology at Zhangjiang Laboratory, he began concurrently serving as a distinguished researcher at the institute, engaging in research on the clinical translation and application of brain-inspired AI technology.

During his research, he discovered a significant shortage of brain data detection methods in clinical research. Guided by the aspiration to apply artificial intelligence technology to the field of brain health and truly benefit the public, he founded Suiren Medical.

Upon its establishment, Suiren received team support from Academician Zhang Xu of the "Shanghai Center for Brain Science and Brain-inspired Intelligence" (abbreviated as "Shanghai Brain Center"), and jointly established the "Joint Laboratory for Brain-Link Engineering" with the Institute for Brain and Intelligence Technology at Zhangjiang National Laboratory, which specializes in brain-inspired intelligence development, to conduct collaborative research on fundamental algorithms, neuroscience, and the company's products, respectively.

At the end of January this year, Suiren developed the company's first prototype of a Brain Function Assessment and Screening System, officially marking its first step into the brain health technology sector.

Clinically, diagnosing patients with Alzheimer's disease is highly complex. Commonly used imaging modalities, such as cranial MRI and PET-CT, can only identify structural abnormalities, such as atrophy in the temporal lobe and hippocampus. However, these examinations are costly and lack sensitivity to early pathological changes. On the other hand, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker testing is often not widely applicable due to its invasive nature.

The Brain Function Evaluation and Screening System (BESS), developed by Suiren Medical, integrates electroencephalography (EEG), near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), and eye-tracking technologies, combined with virtual reality (VR) and a specialized Cognitive Process Monitoring Assessment (CPMA) scale. It can acquire multi-dimensional data in approximately 10 minutes to comprehensively monitor and analyze brain function. The non-interactive evaluation process eliminates subjective bias and the influence of educational background, while its short testing duration makes it suitable for broad population screening.

Specifically, the EEG system captures real-time neural electrical fluctuations during brain activity and analyzes cerebral functions via intelligent algorithms; the near-infrared spectroscopy system collects NIRS data from the prefrontal region to analyze brain activity; and the eye-tracking system acquires eye movement trajectories and gaze heatmaps to analyze user behavior. Together, they enable real-time, structured, intuitive, and task-state screening and assessment of brain function.

In terms of the testing experience, Suiren Medical has also designed a pod system featuring an immersive wrap-around seat with an ergonomic design and medical-grade eco-friendly leather. The testing process supports sensor-activated safety locking, enabling fully automated seating and device fitting.

Brain Function Assessment and Screening System (BESS) Image provided by Suiren

Cai Jiang, founder and CEO of Suiren Medical, stated that the conversion rate from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer's disease (AD) is relatively high. Therefore, interventions for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease should be initiated prior to symptom onset, which is expected to yield more favorable preventive and therapeutic outcomes. Suiren Medical's brain function assessment and screening system holds significant value for the early auxiliary diagnosis of AD and subsequent therapeutic interventions.

Currently, Suiren Medical's first product for dementia detection is undergoing preparations for clinical registration. Additionally, the company has fully launched a clinical collaboration program, aiming to provide clinicians with a wider selection of digital therapeutics in the future.

Based on the Brain Function Evaluation and Screening System (BESS), this initiative primarily focuses on investigating the characteristic profiles—"digital biomarkers"—of various specific disease subtypes (including Parkinson's disease, cerebrovascular diseases, depression, schizophrenia, etc.) during virtual reality tasks, to provide clinicians with more comprehensive and objective assessment data for assisting in the diagnosis of brain disorders and developing brain rehabilitation training products.

Second, it is committed to developing digital therapeutics tailored to specific diseases based on the "digital biomarkers" identified by brain-computer systems across various disease types.

Brain Function Assessment and Screening System Debuts at Beijing Tiantan Conference, Physicians Visit to Experience It. Photo provided by Suiren.

Founder and CEO Cai Jiang stated: Within the next five years, Suiren Medical aims to secure approval for at least five indications in its digital therapeutics pipeline, with five additional indications under development; its products will truly enter every Grade 3A hospital and become widely accessible to all neurology and psychiatry departments across China. Suiren Medical remains committed to continuous exploration to safeguard human brain health.