Award-winning Blinkcns Inc. and MUSC ink new deal for central nervous system disorders technology

The Zucker Institute for Innovation Commercialization (ZI), a technology accelerator and component of the Office of Innovation at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), and Blinkcns Inc. have entered into a strategic, exclusive licensing agreement to advance the novel blink reflex technology and software known as EyeStat. EyeStat is poised to make a profound impact on patients, specifically those with neurological diseases and conditions. This agreement was executed while the institute was operating as the Zucker institute for Applied Neurosciences (ZIAN).

Central nervous system (CNS) diseases are difficult to monitor and track, as many gold-standard devices are either outdated, costly or unreliable. The EyeStat series of capture devices by Blinkcns allows for a small stimulus of either carbon dioxide, light flash or audio prompt to trigger the blink reflex and allow for real-time data collection and analysis. Given that the captured data resides in the cloud and is also examined there by artificial intelligence, advanced research on the utility of using other capture devices, such as an iPhone or iPad, is well underway.

"Blinkcns has realized great growth since its inception in 2017. Thanks to the trust of the Zucker Institute, we've taken a new step to accelerate that growth. We are delighted to have established this new licensing agreement, which represents significant clinical potential for our technology. The Zucker Institute's team, history of innovation and technical expertise are of a high standard. The foundation of this relationship is strong and helps to build internal and external confidence in our corporate mission," said Jeff Riley, executive chairman of Blinkcns.

"It is especially exciting to see MUSC technologies licensed and commercialized by ?home-grown' biotech companies in Charleston. This partnership gives us a really nice platform for collaborating even more deeply with the Blinkcns team to better the lives of people around South Carolina, the United States and the world," said interim CEO of the Zucker Institute, Michael Yost, Ph.D.

About Blinkcns, Inc.

Blinkcns is a medical device company pioneering blink reflex technology intended to promptly test for and identify a variety of neurological states and conditions. EyeStat is the world's first FDA-cleared medical device indicated for the assessment of the blink reflex, a component of the startle response. A technological marvel that is part equipment, part software, EyeStat provides 100% objective quantitative data in less than one minute. EyeStat captures a subject's blink reflex and scan data can be used, if warranted, by clinicians to evaluate and assess for abnormalities of the blink reflex. Blinkcns continues to research and apply its technology to several neurological states and conditions, such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, ADHD, Migraines and Dry Eye and the effect that each condition has on the blink reflex. https://www.blinkcns.com

About MUSC

Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state's only comprehensive academic health system, with a unique mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates more than 3,000 students in six colleges: Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy, and trains more than 850 residents and fellows in its health system. MUSC brought in more than $327.6 million in research funds in fiscal year 2021, leading the state overall in research funding. MUSC also leads the state in federal and National Institutes of Health funding, with more than $220 million. For information on academic programs, visit musc.edu.

As the health care system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest quality and safest patient care while educating and training generations of outstanding health care providers and leaders to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. Patient care is provided at 14 hospitals with approximately 2,500 beds and five additional hospital locations in development, more than 350 telehealth sites and connectivity to patients' homes, and nearly 750 care locations situated in all regions of South Carolina. In 2022, for the eighth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org.

MUSC and its affiliates have collective annual budgets of $4.4 billion. The nearly 25,000 MUSC team members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers, scientists, students, affiliates and care team members who deliver groundbreaking education, research, and patient care.