‘Our system is compact’: San Francisco-based neuro42, a MedTech company, is leading the next evolution of MRI and robotics

“Providing cutting-edge tools that help neurosurgeons save lives through accurate diagnosis and improved treatment outcomes is what we are all about.”

Abhita Batra, co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of neuro42, Inc., is a serial entrepreneur, business strategist, and advisor to several healthcare and technology startups. She’s the CEO and director at Otomagnetics, a company developing a first-of-its-kind drug delivery platform. She’s the founder and Managing Director of Advanced Biopharma Consulting, a strategic advisory firm that offers business development and commercialization services to life science companies. Abhita is also a director at Admac Group of Companies, wherein she manages a product portfolio encompassing 150 generics. She is a co-founder and former COO of Navya, a biotechnology company developing and commercializing PHF for the destruction of solid tumors. Abhita completed her Global MBA at UCLA Anderson and NUS and has a master’s in biotechnology with a specialization in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Pennsylvania.

neuro42, Inc. is a MedTech company focused on diagnostic imaging and image-guided surgical interventions of the brain. It’s developing and commercializing a portable MRI, robotic, and AI platform for point-of-care imaging and interventions under live image guidance. Backed by over 30 patents, the company is poised to enhance the patient and physician experience with its novel, easy-to-use, and portable configuration. neuro42 serves clients across the United States.

As a journalist, I find neuro42, Inc. quite striking. From the emotional branding standpoint to the high energy and motivation I felt just talking with the CSO, Abhita Batra, neuro42 stands out. It’s the sense of pride I get just doing this interview and learning about the company.

Interview Highlights

Q. How would you describe your career journey so far? And tell us what motivated you to establish neuro42.

My career journey has been filled with challenging and highly rewarding projects. I am fortunate that I have been able to dedicate my time and energy to the pursuit of scientific and medical solutions to some of the most complex problems that we face today, and this is my passion. I also have a background in fundraising which has allowed me to scale different ventures rather quickly, accelerating research and development timelines and ultimately making new medical technologies available for more people, faster than otherwise would have been possible. When it comes to neuro42, I can tell you that our mission is to revolutionize MRI technology by integrating artificial intelligence and robotics as well as a portable, point-of-care scanner that will enable physicians to access live imaging during neurosurgical interventions. The possibilities are endless, and ultimately, this means we will help doctors achieve better outcomes through technology, and patients can rest assured that they will have access to the most technologically-advanced solutions in the space.

Q. Who do you look up to and why?

I have always admired my husband Amit, not only as a devoted scientist and visionary business leader but also as a human being who deeply cares about the health and well-being of people from all walks of life.

Q. About neuro42, how does the company improve lives through its patient-centric solutions?

Given the fact that our technology facilitates more than just an image, we provide additional assistance to physicians during complex procedures. For example, we can be used intraoperatively for confirmations during and after brain tumor resection. Our technology can also be used to guide brain biopsies and enable image-guided interventions for epilepsy and PD. This helps provide an additional layer of certainty to patients, which in turn gives them and their families, more peace of mind.

Furthermore, when it comes to portability, neuro42 is different because, unlike traditional MRI systems that are massive in size and scope, our system is compact.

Q. Being a MedTech company, how does neuro42 advance futuristic technologies for screening, diagnosis, and targeted treatment of neurological conditions?

As I have stated before, our goal is to elevate MRI methodology, diagnosis, and treatment outcomes for neurological conditions offered at a more affordable cost than traditional MRI systems through a point-of-care shift. While we have received positive feedback from all the providers we have spoken to, neurosurgeons are excited about what the technology can do for them. Because we offer a low-field MRI scanner, we can be flexible and adaptable, incorporating robotics and artificial intelligence into the mix for more precise interventions. When it comes to the head and brain, you simply can’t be accurate enough.

Q. How did you define your area of focus?

The reasoning behind the creation of neuro42 was our observation of the increasingly high number of neurological conditions that occur each year and our desire to provide a better technological alternative for physicians and patients alike. In the U.S. alone, about 800,000 people have a stroke annually. Meanwhile, some 1.5 million Americans have traumatic brain injuries and thousands more are diagnosed with cancerous brain tumors. We simply knew there had to be a better way to cater to these types of conditions through portable imaging for the head and brain that also incorporates emerging technology like artificial intelligence and robotics.

Q. What new endeavors is neuro42 currently undertaking?

We are currently focused on continuing our clinical scans, which is of paramount importance as it allows us to collect more data and fine-tune our processes. Our next milestone will be submitting our documentation for FDA clearance. Once that is achieved, then it is off to the races! Our goal will be to provide access to neuro42 technology to as many facilities as possible.

Q. About the future, where do you see neuro42 a couple of years from now?

We envision neuro42 becoming the new standard in MRI technology soon, not only because of the clear advantages that it provides to physicians looking for increased levels of certainty but also because of the myriad ways in which patient experience will be improved. Ultimately, providing cutting-edge tools that help neurosurgeons save lives through accurate diagnosis and improved treatment outcomes is what we are all about.

Q. Is there anything else you want us to highlight that we might have missed?

Well, I would just like to take a moment to thank our wonderful team at neuro42. I feel very grateful to be a part of such an amazing group of dedicated professionals who all share a passion for excellence and have been working tirelessly to bring our technology to those who need it most. Every day at the office is a reminder of why we do what we do, we all believe in the company and its technology so much, it’s a great working environment.

“We envision neuro42 becoming the new standard in MRI technology soon, not only because of the clear advantages that it provides to physicians looking for increased levels of certainty but also because of the myriad ways in which patient experience will be improved.”