Participants with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) enrolled in this study will receive focused ultrasound (FUS) treatment with the NaviFUS System, guided by the neuronavigation system to evaluate the safety and efficacy of using NaviFUS System. During the treatment, the FUS will electronically scan and target to the assigned zones on one or both of the hippocampi. The study consists of a 60-day screening period for baseline observation prior to treatment, a FUS treatment period of 2 weeks for Cohort 1 or 3 weeks for Cohort 2 with 2 FUS treatments per week using the NaviFUS System, and a safety follow-up period of 81 days.
Up to 30% of patients with epilepsy are resistant to current anti-seizure medications, i.e. drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Resective surgery of the epileptogenic regions is the most effective option to treat patients with DRE. Unfortunately, up to 60% of DRE patients are not suitable for resective surgery. Neuromodulation approaches are increasingly being utilized in patients with DRE. The current approved techniques use invasive neuromodulation, which require complex neurosurgery and could cause side effects, such as infection, bleeding, and non-target brain tissue damage. Focused ultrasound is a novel, noninvasive, therapeutic technology with the potential to improve the quality of life and decrease the cost of care for patients with epilepsy. NaviFUS System (a neuro-navigation guided focused ultrasound system) is one of the FUS technologies that uses low-intensity focused ultrasound (LIFU) phased array system to deliver transcranial burst-mode ultrasound energy to induce neuromodulation effect and block signals in a specific area of the brain that cause symptoms of epilepsy such as seizures. The pilot clinical study has demonstrated that NaviFUS System safely delivered LIFU to the seizure onset zone and modulated the neuronal activity.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
18
NaviFUS System (Neuronavigation-Guided Focused Ultrasound System) is a new non-invasive device, which uses the neuronavigation principle to guide focused ultrasound (FUS) energy precisely delivering through the skull to selected brain tissues without surgery in real-time. In this clinical study, the NaviFUS System is intended to deliver low intensity FUS to generate neuromodulation effects on a predetermined treatment region (one or both of the hippocampi which are associated with seizure), for the treatment for drug-resistant temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).
The Alfred
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
RECRUITINGIncidence, nature and severity of adverse events (AEs), serious adverse events (SAEs) and AE of special interest (seizures, headaches, mental state changes, language and memory changes, lethargy/fatigue, and nausea)
This outcome will be assessed through the review of medical records and participant self-reporting in seizure diary.
Time frame: Up to 3 months after the last treatment session
Incidence of treatment discontinuation due to AEs and SAEs
Time frame: Up to 3 months after the last treatment session
Incidence of clinically significant abnormal findings from physical and neurologic examinations
Time frame: Up to 3 months after the last treatment session
Incidence of clinically significant abnormal vital sign measurements, and abnormal vital signs reported as AEs and SAEs
Time frame: Up to 3 months after the last treatment session
Incidence of 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) with clinically significant abnormal findings
Time frame: Up to 3 months after the last treatment
Incidence of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) with clinically significant abnormal findings
This outcome will be measured at Baseline Visit and 3 months after the last treatment session.
Time frame: Up to 3 months after the last treatment session
Clinically significant changes in cognitive functions from baseline assessed by Boston Naming Test-Second Edition (BNT-2)
BNT-2 is a 60-item/picture test to assess the ability to name common objects, with scores ranging from 0 to 60. Higher scores indicate better naming ability.
Time frame: Up to 3 months after the last treatment session
Clinically significant changes in cognitive functions from baseline assessed by Auditory Naming Test (ANT)
ANT is a 50-item test requiring participants to name a specific item to a description, with scores ranging from 0 to 50. Higher scores indicate better naming ability.
Time frame: Baseline Visit and 3 months after the last treatment session
Clinically significant changes in cognitive functions from baseline assessed by Sentence Repetition Test (SRT)
SRT tests immediate memory for sentences of increasing length (1-26 syllables), with scores ranging from 0 to 22. Higher scores indicate better performance.
Time frame: Baseline Visit and 3 months after the last treatment session
Clinically significant changes in cognitive functions from baseline assessed by Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT)
COWAT is an oral fluency test in which the participant is required to make verbal associations to different letters of the alphabet by saying as many words as they can think of beginning with a given letter. Greater number of words produced indicates better performance on the test.
Time frame: Baseline Visit and 3 months after the last treatment session
Clinically significant changes in cognitive functions from baseline assessed by Wechsler Memory Scale-4 (WMS-4)
WMS-IV measures the ability to learn and remember information presented verbally and visually, with scores ranging from 60 to 140 (mean = 100; standard deviation = 15). Higher scores indicate better performance.
Time frame: Baseline Visit and 3 months after the last treatment session
Clinically significant changes in cognitive functions from baseline assessed by Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT)
RAVLT is a test using a 15-word list to assess non-verbal learning and memory, with scores ranging from 0 to 15. Higher scores indicate better performance.
Time frame: Baseline Visit and 3 months after the last treatment session
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