Funding accelerates advancement of first-in-class non-invasive neuromodulation platform to transform the arc of stroke care in ICUs
ST. LOUIS, July 28, 2026 — Aurenar, developer of a non-invasive, single-use neuromodulation platform to reduce life-threatening complications in intensive care unit (ICU) patients, today announced the close of an oversubscribed $5.7 million seed financing round, co-led by the Go Red for Women Venture Fund™, part of American Heart Association Ventures™ — the American Heart Association’s venture capital arm — and Solas BioVentures, with additional participation from BJC Health and Kaleida Capital. Proceeds from the investment round will fund continued advancement toward pivotal trials, including final device development, verification and validation (V&V) testing, and regulatory submissions to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Aurenar’s V-Link™ platform, which recently received breakthrough device designation from the FDA, delivers transauricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) to modulate the body’s inflammatory response to such conditions as subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). SAH alone accounts for roughly 7% of all strokes worldwide, leaving approximately 40% of survivors with permanent disability. Initially developed to respond to stroke and broader neurocritical-care challenges, V-Link has the potential to expand into additional high-impact indications in critically ill patients.
Inflammation is a central driver of the secondary injury that worsens outcomes in stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and other critical illnesses. Modulating this cascade non-invasively in the ICU addresses a significant unmet need — and a meaningful opportunity to change recovery trajectories for many patients experiencing the most acute, high-risk conditions that also increase hospital costs.
The company was founded based on research from Dr. Eric Leuthardt, Dr. Anna Huguenard, and colleagues at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. The randomized SAH trial they conducted demonstrated that taVNS reduced moderate-to-severe vasospasm by more than 40%, lowered pro-inflammatory cytokines, and improved functional outcomes. A companion analysis also showed a 20% drop in 30-day modifiable hospitalization costs directly linked to the method. A separate large-vessel occlusion (LVO) ischemic stroke trial showed consistent anti-inflammatory effects and a clean safety profile.
V-Link’s simple, wireless design makes it easier for neuro-intensive care physicians and ICU nursing staff to use the device without extensive training and supports faster onboarding and clinical adoption.
“We are excited to support Aurenar because stroke is a major cause of mortality and long-term disability in women, who face a disproportionately higher prevalence of subarachnoid hemorrhage. Their V-Link product promises to offer a pathway to improve recovery for all patients and especially for women who often experience higher rates of post-stroke complications,” said Tracy Warren, Sr. Managing Director, Go Red for Women Venture Fund, part of the American Heart Association Ventures family of funds. “The potential for use with other conditions that trigger the body’s inflammatory response, which also disproportionately affect women, makes V-Link the kind of scalable innovation our fund was created to accelerate.”
“This seed close marks a pivotal moment for Aurenar,” said Dr. Leuthardt, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Aurenar and a professor of neurosurgery at WashU Medicine. “With the support of the Go Red for Women Venture Fund, Solas BioVentures, and our broader investor group, we are positioned to advance from early-stage neurotechnology to a pivotal-trial-ready company. Every dollar of this round is committed to milestones that help us improve outcomes for patients in the most critical moments of their care.”
“At WashU, we are reinforcing pathways that convert bold scientific ideas into real-world solutions,” said Doug Frantz, PhD, Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Commercialization, Washington University. “This neuromodulation platform is yet another example of the strength of WashU’s innovation ecosystem, and Dr. Leuthardt’s progress with Aurenar is bringing us closer to delivering meaningful advances to some of our most critically ill patients.”
About Aurenar
Aurenar is a company developing a non-invasive, single-use neuromodulation platform to reduce life-threatening complications in ICU patients. The company’s transauricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) device targets the body’s inflammatory response to improve outcomes, lower total cost of care, and transform critical care management. Beginning with the impacts of stroke, Aurenar’s platform is positioned to expand to address multiple high-acuity indications. Aurenar is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri. Learn more at www.aurenar.com.
About Go Red Fund and American Heart Association Ventures
The Go Red for Women Venture Fund™ invests in market-driven solutions across a spectrum of heart health, brain health and related conditions to improve health for women. The Fund invests in early-stage companies whose products and services improve access, diagnosis and treatment for women. Through focused investment that translates science into action, the Go Red Fund is sparking real-world change and making a measurable difference in women’s lives.
The Go Red Venture Fund is part of American Heart Association Ventures, the venture capital platform of the American Heart Association.
About Solas BioVentures
Solas BioVentures is a venture capital firm investing in early- and development-stage biopharmaceutical, medical device, and digital health companies. Founded by physicians, scientists, and operators, the firm pairs deep clinical expertise and a patient-centric approach to funding technologies advancing the standard of care. Solas is headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with a presence in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. Learn more at www.solasbio.com.
Solas BioVentures Management, LLC is an SEC-registered investment adviser. Registration does not imply a certain level of skill or training. For informational purposes only. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Investing involves risk, including the possibility of loss of principal. Learn more at https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/322344.
SOURCE Aurenar
