Nexalin has received patent approval from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for its deep intracranial frequency stimulation (DIFS) method for treating substance use disorders (SUD).
The Houston-headquartered company’s non-invasive DIFS method aims to assist individuals struggling with SUD, including alcohol and opioid use disorder (AUD/OUD) by applying deep-brain stimulation (DBS) at dynamic frequencies to regulate the neural pathways associated with addiction and withdrawal symptoms.
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According to Nexalin, chronic relapse among individuals with SUDs is often driven by underlying anxiety, depression, and persistent cravings. The company said its DIFS technology is designed to address these common symptoms with targeted neuromodulation to alleviate them, which it asserts may also help reduce the cravings that typically lead to relapse.
Nexalin CEO Mark White said: “Securing this patent grant from the USPTO is a significant achievement for Nexalin as we continue to push the boundaries of non-invasive brain stimulation.
“SUDs remain one of the greatest public health challenges worldwide, and our DIFS technology has the potential to introduce a transformative approach to treatment.”
The US National Institute of Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism (NIAAA) indicates that almost 29 million adults in the US are living with AUD. Three US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications for AUD currently exist, yet research indicates that these are only prescribed to around 2% of people living with the disorder in the US.
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By GlobalDataLast year, Nexalin also secured a patent for its DIFS technology in treating Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Last month, Abbott initiated a pivotal trial for its DBS system to address treatment-resistant depression (TRD) at New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital while Medtronic received FDA clearance for its adaptive DBS therapy for patients with Parkinson’s disease in February.
DBS therapy for addressing neurological and other conditions is a growing area. According to GlobalData analysis, the neuromodulation device market is expected to grow from $9bn in 2023 to more than $10.7bn in 2030 while the DBS device market segment is projected to grow from $1.2bn in 2023 to $1.9bn in 2030.
