Magnetics Business & Technology - September/October 2019 - 6

FEATURE ARTICLE

Advancements in Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Open Up Promising New Therapies for
Array of Neural Conditions
eNeura sMTS for migraine therapy

In February, eNeura, Inc., a medical technology company based
in Baltimore, obtained clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration to expand the application of its portable, patientcontrolled sMTS device for acute and preventive treatment of
migraine to include children 12 years of age and older. The
company received clearance for acute and preventive treatment
of migraine in adults in 2017. With the new clearance, its device
became the only migraine product in the United States available
for the acute and prophylactic treatment of migraine headache in
adults and children. More than four million children, 12 years of
age and older suffer from migraine headache in the US and more
than 36 million people in the US suffer from migraine headache,
says eNeura.
eNeura's portable TMS device allows patients to treat themselves when
they sense a migraine attack
Advancements in transcranial magnetic stimulation, otherwise
known as TMS, are yielding new diagnostic and treatment solutions for a growing roster of neural conditions. The new TMS
products are bringing expanding business opportunity to medical
device companies as they pioneer promising new therapies for
patients.
This article looks at the recent progress of several innovative
device makers notably eNeura and its products for treating
migraine, MagStim systems for combatting depression, and
Neuroelectric's StarSim system for treating epilepsy. These
represent just a few of the developments taking place as TMS is
now being studied in treatments for brain-based conditions ranging from ringing in the ears to Alzheimer's disease, from memory
disorders to depression.
A common thread is that TMS is steadily moving into mainstream
treatment. These companies and others along with neuromedicine specialists are meeting with success in a mounting number
of agency approvals based upon progress in demonstrating
treatment effectiveness and safety, as well as acceptance by the
medical community and patients.

Its sTMS is a non-invasive, prescription-only device that utilizes
single-pulse TMS (sTMS) to induce a mild electric current that
modulates nerve cells in the brain and which is believed to interrupt the brain hyperactivity associated with migraine. Patients
place the device at the back of the head, and with the simple
push of a button, deliver a focused magnetic pulse to treat a
migraine attack and or to prevent the onset of future migraine
attacks. Clinical trials have shown sTMS is as effective as
migraine medications but without the risks or unwanted side effects.
"The clearance of our sTMS product for both acute treatment
and prevention of migraine in children as young as 12 years old
is a breakthrough for migraine headache patients in the U.S.,"
commented Dr. David K. Rosen, president and CEO of eNeura.
"Until now, children have had very few safe and effective options
for the treatment and prevention of migraine. Typically, migraine
patients, including children, have had to use combinations of
pharmaceutical products, each with potentially unpleasant and
often disabling side-effects, to prevent headache and treat acute
headache attacks. sTMS is now labeled to address the entire
spectrum of migraine with an easy-to-use device, that in multiple
clinical studies, has proven to be safe and effective."

MagStim TMS system for treatment of depression

How TMS works

In TMS, current is passed through specially shaped electrical
coils to generate magnetic fields of particular strength and lasting
for precise lengths of time. Through the process of induction,
these magnetic fields can pass painlessly through bone and tissue, stimulating complementary electrical activity within the brain
that can be visualized by magnetic resonance imaging systems.
In its early years, TMS was used to study brain function, allowing
researchers to explore the ways that nerves conduct electricity,
what parts of the brain were involved with speech and emotion,
and the impact of stroke on the brain. Continuing research has
led to investigation of its use in a wide range of neuromodulation
therapies. Because the brain works through the conduction of
electrical impulses, the research and development has focused
on the intentional introduction of mild electrical fields to specific
parts of the brain seeking to modulate brain activity in a manner
that yields important health benefits.

Magnetics Business & Technology * September/October 2019

MagStim, a pioneer in developing TMS for treatment of depression for more than 30 years, has recently received important
clearances for its equipment to be used more broadly. Its
stimulators and coils are designed and manufactured at its
headquarters in West Wales, UK. The company employs about

www.MagneticsMag.com

http://www.MagneticsMag.com

Magnetics Business & Technology - September/October 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Magnetics Business & Technology - September/October 2019