Eindhoven, Netherlands, September 3, 2026
ONWARD Medical announced the first implant in the new EIGER clinical feasibility study, evaluating the investigational ARC-IM® System for restoring mobility in people living with subacute or chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). The first procedure was performed at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) in Lausanne, Switzerland, under the direction of Jocelyne Bloch, MD, Chief of Neurosurgery at CHUV. EIGER represents a new step in ONWARD Medical’s clinical development strategy for spinal cord stimulation, with the company evaluating whether targeted neuromodulation can support recovery of standing and walking after SCI. The study will enroll up to 12 participants across two cohorts, including people with subacute SCI sustained less than six weeks before enrollment and people with chronic SCI sustained more than one year before enrollment. The study is being conducted at Schweizer Paraplegiker-Zentrum (SPZ) in Nottwil and CHUV in Lausanne, with support from an Innosuisse grant.
EIGER Evaluates ARC-IM for Mobility Recovery After SCI
The EIGER study is designed to evaluate the safety and preliminary effectiveness of the investigational ARC-IM System in supporting mobility recovery following spinal cord injury. Importantly, EIGER is the first ONWARD mobility study to include individuals with subacute SCI, expanding the company’s clinical investigation beyond people with long-established injuries. The study’s inclusion of both subacute and chronic participants is intended to provide clinical information across different stages of spinal cord injury recovery. The ARC-IM System is an implanted neuromodulation platform designed to deliver targeted and personalized spinal cord stimulation. Its components include the implanted ONWARD Neurostimulator (IPG) and the ARC-IM Lumbar Lead, which are designed to precisely activate spinal circuits involved in lower-limb and trunk movement. ONWARD Medical expects findings from EIGER to help inform the design of a potential pivotal clinical study for the mobility indication..
First ARC-IM Implant Advances ONWARD Medical Clinical Strategy
The first EIGER implant marks another clinical milestone for ONWARD Medical’s ARC Therapy platform, which the company is developing for people with spinal cord injuries and other movement disabilities. The company is pursuing ARC-IM across multiple potential indications, including spinal cord injury and adjacent movement disorders such as Parkinson’s disease. ARC-IM is also being evaluated in the global pivotal Empower BP study, which is focused on addressing blood pressure instability after spinal cord injury. The mobility-focused EIGER program therefore adds another clinical development pathway for the implantable platform. ONWARD Medical’s broader technology portfolio also includes the ARC EX® System, which has been cleared for commercial sale in the United States and Europe, while ARC-IM remains an investigational implantable system. The company is also exploring the potential integration of ARC-IM with brain-computer interfaces and artificial intelligence to support thought-driven movement.
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EIGER Could Guide Future Pivotal Development
With the first ARC-IM implant successfully completed, ONWARD Medical is now progressing EIGER toward further participant enrollment and clinical evaluation in Switzerland. The company said the study is intended to generate early evidence that can help determine the development pathway for a future pivotal study targeting mobility restoration after SCI. CEO Dave Marver described EIGER as an important next step in the company’s effort to restore mobility after spinal cord injury and emphasized its potential role in informing pivotal development. The study’s focus on both subacute and chronic SCI, combined with the use of personalized spinal cord stimulation, represents an important expansion of ONWARD Medical’s clinical strategy. As enrollment progresses, results from EIGER will be closely watched for evidence of the safety, feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of ARC-IM in supporting standing and walking recovery. The company’s latest milestone strengthens its broader effort to develop neurotechnology-based therapies designed to restore movement, function and independence for people affected by spinal cord injury.
Source:ONWARD Medical,,press relese
