Good Shepherd Rehabilitation introduces revolutionary non-invasive treatment for people with spinal cord injury

Allentown, Pa. — Good Shepherd Rehabilitation today announced the acquisition of the groundbreaking ARC-EX System from ONWARD Medical, becoming the first facility in eastern Pennsylvania to offer this FDA-cleared therapy for people with chronic spinal cord injuries (SCI).

The ARC-EX System is the first FDA-cleared non-invasive technology clinically proven to improve hand strength and sensation for individuals with SCI. This milestone represents a new era of hope for the SCI community, who previously had limited options for functional recovery after their injury.

“This technology represents a significant advancement in our ability to help people with spinal cord injuries regain function and independence,” said Good Shepherd Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Medical Affairs Sandeep Singh, MD, FAAPMR. “With this system, we can go beyond conventional rehabilitation approaches and directly address the neurological challenges of spinal cord injury.”

The ARC-EX System was selected as a TIME Magazine Best Invention in 2024 and has received FDA Breakthrough Device designation.

Good Shepherd acquired the device through funding provided by the Fleming Foundation, which in 2023 partnered with Good Shepherd to establish The Fleming Center for Robotics in Rehabilitation, a forward-thinking hub designed to identify and test robotic and wearable technology to further provide leading-edge rehabilitation care, and ultimately, contribute to the future of rehabilitation.

How the ARC-EX system works

The ARC-EX System delivers programmed electrical stimulation through the skin to the spinal cord via electrodes placed on the back of the neck. This non-invasive approach requires no surgery. During therapy sessions, people with SCI use the device while performing functional tasks guided by trained rehabilitation specialists. Designed for clinical use, the system supports up to one hour of daily therapy and complements specialized rehabilitation exercises.

The Up-LIFT clinical study published in Nature Medicine showed that 90% of participants improved in upper limb strength or function, with 87% reporting enhanced quality of life. Additional benefits included reduced spasm frequency, improved sleep quality, and better upper body sensation. Regaining hand function is consistently rated as the highest treatment priority for people with spinal cord injuries, as it directly impacts independence in daily activities like eating, dressing, and personal care.

Good Shepherd patients have experienced increased functional use and dexterity of their fingers and hands, and other functional improvements.

Walter Jakovlevs, a spinal cord injury patient at Good Shepherd, utilizes the ARC-EX System in both physical and occupational therapy.

“I have definitely noticed more movement in my fingers,” he said.

The ARC-EX System is available at Good Shepherd for individuals with chronic, non-progressive spinal cord injuries (C2-C8 inclusive) who are between 18 and 75 years old.

People with SCI interested in learning more about the ARC-EX system and how to get started can contact Good Shepherd Rehabilitation’s Physician Group at 610-776-3278 or contact Good Shepherd online.

Photo Caption: A person utilizes the ARC-EX System to stack plastic pieces on top of each other (Credit: ONWARD Medical).

About Good Shepherd Rehabilitation

Good Shepherd Rehabilitation, an independent, not-for-profit rehabilitation network with 1,300 employees and nearly 30 locations in eight counties of eastern Pennsylvania, is committed to transforming the lives of people of all ages and abilities through curiosity, creativity, expertise and innovation. Headquartered in Allentown, Pennsylvania, Good Shepherd Rehabilitation specializes in treatment of spinal cord injury, brain injury, stroke, major multi-trauma, autism and neurodevelopmental diagnoses, pulmonary disease, respiratory failure, musculoskeletal/orthopedics and complex pediatric conditions. Info: www.goodshepherdrehab.org or 1-888-447-3422 (44-REHAB)

About ONWARD Medical and the ARC-EX System

ONWARD Medical is the leading neurotechnology company pioneering therapies to restore movement, function, and independence in people with spinal cord injuries, and other movement disabilities. Building on over a decade of scientific discovery, preclinical research, and clinical studies conducted at leading hospitals, rehabilitation clinics, and neuroscience laboratories, the Company developed ARC Therapy. It has subsequently been awarded 10 Breakthrough Device designations from the FDA. The Company’s ARC-EX® System is cleared for commercial sale in the US. The Company is also developing an investigational implantable system called ARC-IM, which can be paired with a brain-computer interface (BCI) to restore thought-driven movement. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the Company has a Science and Engineering Center in Switzerland and a US office in Boston, Massachusetts. The Company is listed on Euronext Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam (ticker: ONWD) and its US ADRs can be traded on OTCQX (ticker: ONWRY). For more information, please visit ONWD.com.