Neurologists at Allegheny Health Network’s (AHN) Headache Center are among the first in the region to begin offering patients who suffer from migraines access to an innovative new therapy called remote electrical neuromodulation (REN) to better manage their headaches without medications.
Developed by Theranica, a prescribed digital therapeutics company specializing in advanced neuromodulation devices for migraine and other painful conditions, the new technology, called Nerivio®, is worn on the upper arm and uses REN to trigger an endogenous descending pain inhibition mechanism, known as conditioned pain modulation (CPM), which aborts or alleviates migraine headache and associated symptoms.
“With tens of millions of Americans suffering from migraine, a debilitating disorder that significantly impacts quality of life, we are glad to be able to offer Nerivio®, an FDA-approved, drug-free, clinically validated treatment option to patients,” said Andrea Synowiec, DO, FAAN, System Vice Chair, Department of Neurology, Associate Professor of Neurology and Assistant Director of the headache center of The Allegheny Health Network.
The American Migraine Foundation estimates that the reported number of 39 million people who live with migraines is actually a low estimate because many who suffer from the condition do not get a diagnosis or seek the treatment they need.
Clinical studies have shown Nerivio® to be as effective as standard of care pharmacological options for acute migraine treatment. Theranica also recently published topline results of a pivotal trial demonstrating the efficacy and safety of Nerivio® for the preventive treatment of migraine, which is currently under FDA review.
Theranica, Highmark Health Plan and AHN are currently collaborating in a Coverage with Evidence Determination program, with Dr. Synowiec serving as the medical lead. As part of the program, Highmark members prescribed Nerivio will receive the treatment as a covered benefit of their health care plan. Those interested in the treatment who are not Highmark members should inquire with their insurance carrier about coverage of the therapy.
“Nerivio is an excellent treatment option for our patients with migraine, especially those who do not respond to medications, or cannot tolerate their side effects. It’s also effective for teenagers who struggle with migraine and provides them with a drug-free treatment option, said Dr. Synowiec. “We greatly appreciate the access to this therapy that Highmark is affording its members through the Coverage with Evidence program.”
“As an advanced health insurance company, Highmark demonstrates its freedom from the obsolete paradigm that migraine could only be treated with drugs. When making their reimbursement decisions, they are looking at the actual clinical effectiveness and medical benefit exhibited by each therapy,” said Alon Ironi, CEO of Theranica. “Recent scientific discoveries indicate that pain-inhibition mechanisms in the central neural system may be triggered by agents other than chemicals, as shown in many of our clinical studies. This is especially important in the case of migraine, where there isn’t a “one fits all” solution. Often, treating this prevalent disease may require combination therapy.”
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About AHN
Allegheny Health Network (AHN.org) is an integrated healthcare delivery system serving the greater Western Pennsylvania region. The Network is composed of 14 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, Health + Wellness Pavilions, an employed physician organization, home and community-based health services, a research institute, and a group purchasing organization. The Network provides patients with access to a complete spectrum of advanced medical services, including nationally recognized programs for primary and emergency care, trauma care, cardiovascular disease, organ transplantation, cancer care, orthopedic surgery, neurology and neurosurgery, women’s health, diabetes, autoimmune disease and more. AHN employs approximately 21,000 people, has more than 2,600 physicians on its medical staff and serves as a clinical campus for Drexel University College of Medicine and the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine.
About Theranica
Theranica is a prescribed digital therapeutics company dedicated to creating effective, safe, affordable, low-side effect therapies for idiopathic pain conditions. The company’s award-winning flagship product, Nerivio®, is the first FDA-cleared smartphone-controlled prescribed wearable device for acute treatment of migraine, recently surpassed a quarter of a million treatments administered to date. Theranica is expanding its proprietary technology to develop solutions for additional idiopathic pain conditions. Nerivio has received FDA authorization and CE mark for use in acute treatment of episodic and chronic migraine in adult and adolescent patients and is currently under FDA review for preventive treatment of migraine.
