Stimwave’s Spinout Enrolls First Patient in Drug-Free Chronic Craniofacial Nerve Pain Study

StimRelieve LLC has enrolled the first patient in a clinical trial of the world’s first implantable device for the treatment of chronic craniofacial nerve pain. The StimRelieve device uses wireless technology and is placed through an introducer device the size of a needle near the inflicted painful nerves to modulate nerve activity and provide therapeutic relief. The study is focused on patients afflicted with neuropathic pain of the face, head or neck, which can result from a variety of modalities, including, but not limited to, trigeminal neuropathy, postherpetic neuralgia, trigeminal or occipital neuralgias, facial or neck trauma, oral, facial or dental surgery, infections, whiplash, TMJ, or even atypical facial pain.
 
“Why no other product was ever really practical for placement in the head was due to the need for extensive tunneling down the neck with connection to an implanted pulse generator system. Now, for the first time ever, patients in this trial have an option for wireless stimulation for potential pain relief from various modalities that are impacting their quality of life,” said Richard Weiner, M.D., of Dallas Neurosurgical and Spine Associates, the developer of occipital (ONS) stimulation.
 
Epidemiologists estimate that approximately 39 million adult Americans have some degree of ongoing chronic craniofacial pain.¹ A large number of these pain suffers are completely “undiagnosable,” making treatment very difficult.
 
“The development of a minimally invasive implantable neuromodulation system targeting craniofacial nerves has the potential to help patients suffering from facial pain without the added complexity associated with extension cables and implantable pulse generators,” said Dr. Ashwin Viswanathan of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, a recognized authority on facial pain. “StimRelieve’s technology has the potential to be that innovation.” Viswanathan serves as the principal investigator at Baylor College of Medicine, the site that enrolled the first patient.
 
The study will include approximately 50 patients. This is a randomized, controlled study that compares the efficacy of the device as opposed to receiving no stimulation. The clinical trial will focus on implanting a small neurostimulator at craniofacial nerves under ultrasound guidance and utilizing a discreetly worn external transmitter to provide energy and therapy to the implanted device. The clinical trial will assess the effectiveness of delivering pulsed electrical energy to the targeted craniofacial nerve for the treatment of chronic pain.
 
“If the safety and effectiveness of the device is successfully trialed, the StimRelieve technology would allow neuromodulation to be offered to an underserved population living with chronic refractory craniofacial pain as a viable alternative to drug based therapy,” said Laura Tyler Perryman, managing director and co-founder of StimRelieve. “The StimRelieve solution proposes a treatment option that is simple and not intimidating for patients. We look forward to the potential of positive results from the study on the path to bring this technology to market.”
 
StimRelieve is a privately held firm that develops, manufactures, and commercializes wirelessly powered microtechnology neurostimulators, providing patients with a convenient, safe, minimally invasive, and highly cost-effective solution for the treatment of chronic pain. StimRelieve’s goal is to evolve its patented platform into the default for neuromodulation, increasing the accessibility for patients worldwide while lowering the economic impact of chronic pain management.

Reference:
1. Pain Management, An Issue of Neurosurgery Clinics of North America. Ashwini Sharan. November 22, 2014. Elsevier Health Sciences.