electroCore Announces 510(k) Clearance of gammaCore™ Non-Invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation (nVNS) to Treat Paroxysmal Hemicrania and Hemicrania Continua
PH and HC are both rare forms of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TAC), that are typically debilitating and difficult to treat.
ROCKAWAY, NJ, Sept. 14, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- electroCore, Inc. (Nasdaq: ECOR), a commercial-stage bioelectronic medicine company, today announced that on September 10, 2021 the company received Section 510(k) clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the company’s submission to expand the label of gammaCore nVNS to include the treatment of Paroxysmal Hemicrania (PH) and Hemicrania Continua (HC) in adults.
PH and HC are both rare forms of trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias (TAC), that are typically debilitating and difficult to treat. The most common type of TAC is cluster headache. gammaCore is also indicated for both the acute and preventative treatment of cluster headache, where it is considered a first-line treatment option.
The label expansion was based on data collected from multiple clinical audits and case series/case reports that included patients with PH or HC. These included a total of 14 patients with PH and 19 patients with HC. 79% of the patients experienced clinically meaningful benefits from gammaCore for each indication, including decreases in the severity of persistent pain and/or reductions in the frequency, severity, and/or duration of exacerbations or attacks. Many subjects reported more than one clinical benefit. There were no serious or unexpected adverse events reported.
Professor Peter Goadsby MD, PhD, DSc, President of the American Headache Society and Professor of Neurology at the University of California, Los Angeles commented, “Paroxysmal hemicrania and hemicrania continua have not been thoroughly studied leaving clinicians with few treatment options. gammaCore, which can be used to decrease the frequency, duration or intensity of PH and HC attacks, represents an important new treatment option for these patients.”
“gammaCore (nVNS) is the first treatment, drug or device, to be indicated for the treatment of paroxysmal hemicrania or hemicrania continua,” said Eric Liebler, Senior Vice President of Neurology at electroCore, Inc. “The rare ability of nVNS to address several of the mechanistic pathways that contribute to the pain and symptoms of headache allows gammaCore to be used by patients as a treatment option for most forms of primary headache. We would like to thank the Division of Neuromodulation and Physical Medicine Devices and their colleagues at the FDA for their efforts to review and clear these new indications for gammaCore."
About electroCore, Inc.
electroCore, Inc. is a commercial stage bioelectronic medicine company dedicated to improving patient outcomes through its non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation therapy platform, initially focused on the treatment of multiple conditions in neurology. The company's current indications are the preventive treatment of cluster headache and migraine and the acute treatment of migraine and episodic cluster headache.
For more information, visit www.electrocore.com.
About gammaCoreTM
gammaCoreTM (nVNS) is the first non-invasive, hand-held medical therapy applied at the neck as an adjunctive therapy to treat migraine and cluster headache through the utilization of a mild electrical stimulation to the vagus nerve that passes through the skin. Designed as a portable, easy-to-use technology, gammaCore can be self-administered by patients, as needed, without the potential side effects associated with commonly prescribed drugs. When placed on a patient’s neck over the vagus nerve, gammaCore stimulates the nerve’s afferent fibers, which may lead to a reduction of pain in patients.
gammaCore (nVNS) is FDA cleared in the United States for adjunctive use for the preventive treatment of cluster headache in adult patients, the acute treatment of pain associated with episodic cluster headache in adult patients, the acute and preventive treatment of migraine in adolescent (ages 12 and older) and adult patients, and the treatment of paroxysmal hemicrania and hemicrania continua in adults. gammaCore is CE-marked in the European Union for the acute and/or prophylactic treatment of primary headache (migraine, cluster headache, trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias and hemicrania continua) and medication overuse headache in adults.
gammaCore is contraindicated for patients if they:
- Have an active implantable medical device, such as a pacemaker, hearing aid implant, or any implanted electronic device
- Have a metallic device, such as a stent, bone plate, or bone screw, implanted at or near the neck
- Are using another device at the same time (e.g., TENS Unit, muscle stimulator) or any portable electronic device (e.g., mobile phone)
Safety and efficacy of gammaCore have not been evaluated in the following patients:
- Patients diagnosed with narrowing of the arteries (carotid atherosclerosis)
- Patients who have had surgery to cut the vagus nerve in the neck (cervical vagotomy)
- Pediatric patients (less than 12 years)
- Pregnant women
- Patients with clinically significant hypertension, hypotension, bradycardia, or tachycardia
Please refer to the gammaCore Instructions for Use for all of the important warnings and precautions before using or prescribing this product.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release and other written and oral statements made by representatives of electroCore may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about electroCore's business prospects and clinical and product development plans; its pipeline or potential markets for its technologies; the timing, outcome and impact of regulatory, clinical and commercial developments; the availability and impact of payer coverage, the potential of nVNS generally and gammaCore in particular to treat Paroxysmal Hemicrania and Hemicrania Continua and related disorders and other statements that are not historical in nature, particularly those that utilize terminology such as "anticipates," "will," "expects," "believes," "intends," other words of similar meaning, derivations of such words and the use of future dates. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors. Such factors include, among others, the ability to raise the additional funding needed to continue to pursue electroCore’s business and product development plans, the inherent uncertainties associated with developing new products or technologies, the ability to commercialize gammaCore™, the potential impact and effects of COVID-19 on the business of electroCore, electroCore’s results of operations and financial performance, and any measures electroCore has and may take in response to COVID-19 and any expectations electroCore may have with respect thereto, competition in the industry in which electroCore operates and overall market conditions. Any forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release, and electroCore assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Investors should consult all of the information set forth herein and should also refer to the risk factor disclosure set forth in the reports and other documents electroCore files with the SEC available at www.sec.gov.
Investors: Rich Cockrell CG Capital 404-736-3838 [email protected] or Media Contact: Jackie Dorsky electroCore 908-313-6331 [email protected]
