Eindhoven, the Netherlands, Munich, Germany, June 1st, 2011 - Sapiens Steering Brain Stimulation GmbH ('Sapiens'), a spin off from Philips Research, announces today that it has raised €13 million in a Series A round co-led by Wellington Partners (WP) and Edmond de Rothschild Investment Partners (EdRIP) with additional financing from Life Sciences Partners (LSP). Philips and NeuroNexus Technologies Inc become minority shareholders in Sapiens as a result of their contribution to the development of the Sapiens' system and underlying technologies. The funds will be used to further develop Sapiens' innovative brain stimulation system and software, its first in-man validation and regulatory approval in Europe.

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is applied for the treatment of essential tremor, late-stage Parkinson's disease, dystonia and obsessive compulsive disorders and more recently for the treatment of epilepsy. It may have further potential to expand to other neurologic or psychiatric indications. DBS is a treatment that relies on the delivery of mild electrical pulses to specific areas in the brain via implanted probes that are connected to a battery-powered implantable pulse generator.

Sapiens is developing a unique, high-resolution, and MRI-compatible DBS system comprising implants with navigation and steering software. Sapiens' implantable probe with superior current steering capacity will enable precise, targeted stimulation of small brain structures. The software will allow faster and safer implantation and programming of the system and may accordingly reduce time, resources and costs for the complex DBS procedure.
The three founders, Michel Decré[<00E9>][<00E9>], Hubert Martens and Sjaak Deckers have initiated, contributed and led the work on Deep Brain Stimulation within Philips Research from 2006 to today. Sjaak Deckers, founder and CEO at Sapiens commented on the closing: "this first financing round is a real testimony to the potential of our technology and reflects the great achievements of the Sapiens team thus far".

In line with the new financing, five new members have joined the Sapiens' Board of Directors: Hans Barella, former CEO, Philips Medical Systems, as Chairman of the Sapiens Board, Todd Whitehurst, MD, former VP Emerging Indications, Boston Scientific Neuromodulation, Regina Hodits, general partner at WP, Olivier Litzka, partner at EdRIP, and Anne Portwich, partner at LSP. Lukas Guenther (WP) and Geoffroy de Ribains (EDRIP) will join as observers.

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