Nerve Stimulation for Chemo-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy
Photo credit: NeuroMetrix
For patients experiencing chronic nerve damage while undergoing chemotherapy (chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy or CIPN), quality of life can be seriously diminished – with limited effective treatments to date.
A breakthrough moment has arrived with NeuroMetrix’s release of early test results on the effectiveness of its wearable Quell nerve stimulation system for treating CIPN.
NeuroMetrix research, recently presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting, comes a year after the device became the first non-drug treatment approved by the FDA to treat fibromyalgia-related chronic pain.
CIPN arises when cancer treatment causes damage to nerves outside of the brain and spinal cord, such as those in the hands and feet. It is thought to be experienced by up to 68 percent of people receiving certain types of chemotherapy drugs.
A total of 142 patients living with CIPN were recruited for the blinded and randomised trial, and assigned either the NeuroMetrix Quell system or a placebo device. Those using the Quell system reported an average improvement of 11.6 percent in their overall quality of life, compared with 8.7 percent for placebo device users.
People using the Quell device said that symptoms such as hot or sharp pain and cramping improved by around 50%, compared with around 30% improvement for those in the placebo group. Dr Shai Gozani, CEO of NeuroMetrix said future opportunities for the device were “exciting”.
“As evidenced by its designation from the FDA as a breakthrough device for chronic CIPN, Quell offers the potential for a safe and effective treatment to be administered at home,” said Gozani (in his press statement).NeuroMetrix will monitor its trial results over coming months and potentially file a near term regulatory submission for a Quell CIPN indication.
Read the research abstract presented at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology general meeting, or visit the NeuroMetrix website for the full press statement.
