NeuroEM Therapeutics: Can Radio Waves Rewire Brain Health?
NeuroEM Therapeutics, a member of the StartUp Health Alzheimer’s Moonshot Community, is developing a non-drug, at-home headset that delivers targeted radio frequency (RF) energy to the brain. In this Health Moonshot Update, Chuck Papageorgiou, CEO of NeuroEM, shares that early research suggests the approach may disrupt toxic protein build-up, rebalance neuroinflammation, and support cellular energy, with the potential to improve cognition. With FDA Breakthrough Device status, new partnerships, and fresh funding, the team is moving from counterintuitive discovery to real-world validation.
The Accidental Insight That Changed the Plan
A decade ago, researchers set out to test whether cell phone radio frequencies harmed the brain. In a Tampa lab, transgenic mice, expected to decline, instead improved their maze performance. Follow-on wet-lab work pointed to disruptive effects on toxic protein clusters. That unexpected discovery became the seed for NeuroEM Therapeutics and a new line of inquiry into bioelectronic treatment for Alzheimer’s.
How the Tech Works
NeuroEM’s approach, Transcranial Electromagnetic Treatment in the RF spectrum (TEMT-RF), uses a headset embedded with small antennas that deliver brief, patterned bursts of energy across key brain regions. The intended effect is multifactorial. Targeted ultra high frequency (UHF) radio waves appear to help break apart oligomers and other protein accumulations around neurons, support ATP production for cellular energy, and help rebalance cytokines that drive inflammation.
With these multiple pathways addressed, the brain’s glymphatic system can clear away the disaggregated protein oligomers during sleep. The routine is designed for home use: one hour, twice a day, with the form factor now being refined for comfort and simplicity.
What We Know So Far
Signals in humans, while preliminary, are encouraging. In NeuroEM’s open-label pilot trial of eight people with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s, standardized cognitive testing showed that decline halted within weeks and, in many cases, reversed over subsequent months. In NeuroEM’s internal follow-on monitoring, most participants continued to demonstrate measurable gains.
One woman who entered the program at age 86 with moderate Alzheimer’s has now been followed for five years on continuous real-world use. At age 91, she not only avoided the expected severe decline associated with her diagnosis, but reportedly scored within the normal range for a cognitively healthy peer on standardized assessments. These observations do not replace the need for larger, controlled trials, but they underscore the urgency to scale evidence.
From Lab to Life
Regulatory momentum is helping. The device holds an FDA Breakthrough Device designation and an IRB non-significant risk determination, which facilitates broader clinical research. NeuroEM has partnered with a large primary care organization that manages thousands of patients to conduct the largest real‑world study of the TEMT-RF platform to date. The plan is to start with approximately one hundred participants in everyday care settings and scale toward one thousand. Real-world use will generate data on adherence, durability, and impact that traditional trials often miss, while informing engineering and regulatory strategy.
A Dual Path to Market
NeuroEM is advancing along two coordinated tracks. The clinical pathway continues toward a full indication for treating Alzheimer’s and possibly other neurodegenerative diseases, a multi-year journey requiring larger studies and long-term follow-up. In parallel, the company is developing a wellness device for general brain health with tightly defined non-clinical claims – a path that has received a regulatory green light through the FDA’s 513(g) clearance process. Industrial design and design-for-manufacture efforts are underway to miniaturize hardware, extend battery life, and streamline the companion app so daily sessions feel routine.
Funding Momentum
As the company transitions from research to commercialization, it has closed initial funding rounds totaling $2.5M toward a $5M Series A led by BlueLake.vc. Jamie Rutledge, a partner at BlueLake, has joined the board and brings valuable expertise in radio-frequency systems and product development, with prior leadership roles at Lenovo and Dyson. For a StartUp Health community member translating bioelectronic science into an at-home device, domain-savvy capital is as crucial as the dollars themselves.
Why This Matters for the Alzheimer’s Moonshot
Alzheimer’s biology is complex and hotly debated. Rather than betting on a single mechanism, NeuroEM targets several pathways implicated in cognitive decline. If larger studies confirm early findings, a non-invasive, at-home device could complement drugs, diagnostics, and behavioral care, expand access, and potentially lower the total cost of care. The promise is a practical tool families can use alongside clinical guidance.
The Road Ahead
The path forward is well underway, but the next six to 18 months will be pivotal. Success looks like steady expansion of clinical research, durable device performance in everyday use, a continued safety profile, and measurable cognitive benefits that persist at scale. Each of these is a natural progression of the momentum already achieved, with early data, partnerships, and regulatory clarity laying the foundation. Ongoing alignment with strategic partners and regulators will shape how quickly the wellness device reaches consumers, even as clinical development advances in parallel.
Closing Thought
This story began with an unexpected observation and a team willing to follow the science. As a StartUp Health community member in the Alzheimer’s & Brain Health Moonshot, Chuck Papageorgiou and the NeuroEM team are pushing bioelectronic medicine toward a future where brain health can be supported at home with safe, accessible technology.
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Editor’s note: The device is not cleared by the FDA to treat Alzheimer’s disease. Any wellness product would be marketed with non-clinical claims consistent with FDA guidance. Individuals should consult their clinicians before starting any new therapy or device.
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Published: Sep 18, 2025
Produced by Nicole Kinsey
