CraniUS Therapeutics is accelerating the development of its groundbreaking NeuroPASS™ platform with help from $20 million in Series B financing.

The company announced its latest success as the next step in commercializing its fully-implantable skull-embedded product, which is believed to be the first device-of-its-kind to bypass the blood-brain barrier (BBB) for long-term, programmable drug delivery.

Johns Hopkins neuroplastic surgeon Dr. Chad Gordon founded the company after encountering neurological disease patients who could not receive critical treatment due to the BBB, or a semipermeable layer of cells that protects the brain by preventing certain substances from passing through. Once implanted, the NeuroPASS™ addresses this challenge by delivering microdoses to the precise location with help from a refillable port, dual-catheter structure, and wireless charging technology.

In 2024, as an inaugural recipient of the state’s Build Our Future grant program, CraniUS received $1 million to establish a device innovation lab to prototype and test its implantable medical devices. The company said the funding would help expand its research capabilities, accelerate product development into human studies, and enhance its contributions to Maryland’s innovation ecosystem.

The following year, the company was named the Emerging Life Sciences Company of the Year by the Maryland Tech Council. CraniUS was chosen for its patented neurotechnology, designed to reshape treatment approaches for neurodegenerative diseases, movement disorders, and aggressive brain cancers.

“This milestone reflects not only the dedication of our entire team but also the urgent need for transformative solutions in neurotherapeutics,” said Dr. Gordon. “We are extremely proud to be pioneering the new field of functional neurocranial implants inspired by Neuroplastic Surgery and driving this critical work forward—from right here in Maryland.”

When it comes to brain health, CraniUS is joined by Maryland’s dedicated research institutions, medical device manufacturing facilities, and higher education powerhouses that are fueling neuroscience innovation like never before. Learn how the state is becoming the nation’s leading hub for neuroscience.