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Charlottesville, VA, March 14, 2024—The Focused Ultrasound Foundation is pleased to announce the launch of Curing with Sound, a podcast showcasing the transformative power of focused ultrasound, a rapidly evolving, noninvasive and highly disruptive technology that is revolutionizing medicine. Download this image and other related graphics Focused ultrasound—which utilizes sound waves guided by real-time imaging to precisely target tissue deep in the body without incisions or radiation—is FDA-approved for nine indications, including essential tremor, Parkinson’s disease and tumors of the liver and prostate. With more than 30 additional regulatory approvals around the world, the technology is also in various stages of research and development to treat nearly 180 other serious diseases and conditions including Alzheimer’s, diabetes, epilepsy, and more. Focused ultrasound’s role in liquid biopsy, gene therapy, cancer immunotherapy and veterinary medicine is also being explored. Biweekly episodes of Curing with Sound will cover a variety of topics, including expert insights and technology updates from leading researchers, medical professionals, industry representatives, and innovators in the field. Listeners will also hear poignant stories from focused ultrasound patients whose lives have been significantly improved; conversations with Foundation staff, Board, and Council members about our mission, purpose, and projects; and advocates who share the Foundation’s goal of improving the lives of millions worldwide by making focused ultrasound widely available in the shortest time possible. The diverse range of guests in each 30-to-40-minute episode will provide a 360-degree view of how focused ultrasound is revolutionizing the landscape of medical treatment and offering new hope to patients worldwide. “We like to say focused ultrasound is a sound you will never hear, but one that may someday save your life—and the lives of millions around the world,” said Neal F. Kassell, MD, Founder and Chairman of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation. “Whether you’re a healthcare professional, a patient, a biotech enthusiast, or know someone who may benefit from focused ultrasound treatment, this program is your gateway to understanding and engaging with the world of focused ultrasound.” Curing with Sound is available on all major podcast streaming apps, including Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube Music (formerly Google podcasts) and others. All episodes and show summaries can be found on the Focused Ultrasound Foundation website. Listeners can also follow the Foundation on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Youtube. Tune in to be inspired, informed, and involved in the acceleration of focused ultrasound technology and a healthier, more advanced medical future. ### About the Focused Ultrasound Foundation: The Focused Ultrasound Foundation was created in 2006 to improve the lives of millions of people worldwide in the shortest time possible by accelerating the development of noninvasive focused ultrasound technology. Based in Charlottesville, Virginia, the Foundation is a tax-exempt, high-performance, entrepreneurial service organization working to clear the path to global adoption of focused ultrasound by organizing and funding research, fostering collaboration, and building awareness among patients and professionals. The Foundation was recognized in 2018 as one of “America’s 10 Best Medical Research Organizations” by Charity Navigator, and is the largest nongovernmental source of funding for focused ultrasound research.

A study using focused ultrasound to help patients with Alzheimer’s and patients with addiction was featured on 60 Minutes. The promising study is giving hope to those struggling with both conditions.

Preliminary results from a clinical trial testing focused ultrasound-induced blood-brain barrier (BBB) opening with drug delivery in three patients with Alzheimer’s disease have now been published in the prestigious New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM)

November 8, 2023, Charlottesville, VA —The Focused Ultrasound Foundation and Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation (AWOCCF) are pleased to announce their first collaborative initiative to fund a research project exploring the role of noninvasive focused ultrasound in treating high-risk pediatric neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma is a type of cancer that forms in nerve tissue in the adrenal glands, neck, chest, or spinal cord. Despite considerable advances in cancer treatment, high-risk neuroblastoma presents a significant challenge, with pediatric patients continuing to experience poor survival rates. This research project will focus on utilizing a focused ultrasound technique known as histotripsy in the treatment of neuroblastoma. Histotripsy is the first noninvasive, non-ionizing, and non-thermal ablation technology guided by real-time imaging. Using focused ultrasound delivered from outside the body, histotripsy mechanically destroys tissue. The project, led by Kenneth Bader, PhD, of the University of Chicago, has two crucial objectives: to evaluate the efficacy of mechanical ablation when combined with chemotherapy and to examine immune microenvironment changes within the tumor following histotripsy. Understanding these changes is pivotal in advancing the comprehensive approach to treating neuroblastoma. Successful completion of these studies holds the promise of not only advancing comprehension of high-risk neuroblastoma but also understanding the effectiveness of histotripsy for improved chemotherapy delivery. “The Focused Ultrasound Foundation and Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation are united by a shared commitment to transforming the landscape of pediatric cancer treatment,” said Neal Kassell, MD, former neurosurgeon and founder of the Focused Ultrasound Foundation. “By co-funding this project, we aim to bring newfound hope to families grappling with the challenges of high-risk neuroblastoma.” “When it comes to funding childhood cancer research, our goal at Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation is to fund less toxic treatment options for children with cancer so they have a better quality of life and less long-term side effects,” said Dena Sherwood, Founder of AWOCCF and Mom to 2X Stage IV Neuroblastoma Survivor, Billy, Jr. “It is our hope that this project and our collaboration with the Focused Ultrasound Foundation can provide that for children with neuroblastoma.” For more information on pediatric cancer, visit Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation. About Focused UltrasoundFocused ultrasound uses ultrasound energy guided by real-time imaging to treat tissue deep in the body without incisions or radiation. It is FDA approved in the United States to treat essential tremor, Parkinson’s disease, liver tumors, uterine fibroids, pain from bone metastases, osteoid osteoma, and the prostate. Dozens of additional indications are approved outside of the US. The technology is in various stages of research and development for nearly 160 diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease and tumors of the brain, breast, and pancreas. About the Focused Ultrasound FoundationThe Focused Ultrasound Foundation was created to improve the lives of millions of people worldwide by accelerating the development of this noninvasive technology. The Foundation works to clear the path to global adoption by organizing and funding research, fostering collaboration, and building awareness among patients and professionals. Since its establishment in 2006, the Foundation has become the largest nongovernmental source of funding for focused ultrasound research. About Arms Wide OpenArms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation is a non-profit organization committed to funding pediatric cancer research, supporting families who are suffering hardship due to their child’s cancer diagnosis both financially and emotionally, educating the general public, raising awareness globally, uniting the childhood cancer community, giving children with cancer a platform to share their voice, and working to ensure that the children who survive childhood cancer, not only survive, but thrive and grow to become emotionally healthy adults. ###