Highland Instruments has innovated ESStim™ - a noninvasive brain stimulation platform to help patients overcome chronic pain, neurodegenerative diseases, and psychiatric disorders. Highland is investigating ESStim™ for six indications that impact 70 million Americans.
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Parkinson’s Disease
Nearly 1 Million Americans are living with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). PD Patients suffer from slowed movement, rigidity, tremors, balance instability, and gait limitations. A treatment gap exists for Patients with moderate PD. PD medications can wane in effectiveness over time. Surgical options are invasive with risk of adverse events. ESStim™ is being developed to address these unmet needs for PD patients.
Highland has completed three randomized double-blinded controlled trials for PD (JANUS). PD Patients treated with ESStim™ demonstrated significant improvements in Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) assessments, kinematic metrics, and quality of life. JANUS 4, an ongoing randomized double-blinded controlled trial, is investigating the impact of ESStim™ on PD patients’ balance and gait.
Psychiatric Disorders
Opioid Use Disorder
Over 6 million Americans suffer from Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). More than 80,000 Americans die from opioid overdose annually. Clinicians currently treat OUD Patients with medications, counseling, and technology aimed at reducing the impact of opioid withdrawal. The long-term effectiveness of medications is limited.
Highland is conducting a multicenter randomized double-blinded controlled trial (RHEA) investigating the impact of ESStim™ on OUD patients’ drug use patterns and craving for opioids.
Chronic Pain
Knee Osteoarthritis
Almost 27 million Americans suffer from Knee Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis and a leading cause of chronic pain and disability. Knee Osteoarthritis is currently treated with pain medication, therapy, injections, and surgery - which can have inconsistent effectiveness and risk of adverse effects.
Highland has completed three separate randomized double-blinded controlled trials (ALGEA) that have investigated ESStim’s™ impact on pain from Knee Osteoarthritis. Patients treated with ESStim™ demonstrated significant improvements in pain, quality of life, mobility, and use of pain medication.
Painful Diabetic Neuropathy
Over 7 Million Americans suffer from Painful Diabetic Neuropathy (PDN), which manifests as burning or stabbing pain, tingling or numbness. Current PDN therapies are characterized by inconsistent effectiveness, increased tolerance, and risk of adverse effects.
Highland is studying the impact of ESStim™ on chronic pain caused by PDN (HERMES). The HERMES studies, randomized double-blinded controlled trials investigating the impact of ESStim™ on PDN Patients’ pain, quality of life, mood, biomechanics, mobility, and pain medication use.
Chronic Lower Back Pain
Over 21 Million Americans suffer from Chronic Lower Back Pain (CLBP), the leading cause of disability in the US. Current CLBP therapies are characterized by inconsistent effectiveness, increased tolerance, and risk of adverse effects.
Highland is studying the impact of ESStim™ on CLBP (ATLAS). Following the success of ATLAS 1, a randomized double-blinded controlled trial, ATLAS 2 is investigating the impact of ESStim™ on CLBP patients’ pain, quality of life, mood, function, mobility, and pain medication use.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)
Almost 8 Million Americans suffer from Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), which causes numbness, pain, and weakness in the hand and wrist. CTS is currently treated with pain medication, therapy, and surgery - which are characterized by inconsistent effectiveness and risk of adverse effects.
Highland is studying the impact of ESStim™ on CTS (MINERVA). Following the success of MINERVA 1, a randomized double-blinded controlled trial, MINERVA 2 is investigating the impact of ESStim™ on CTS patients’ pain, quality of life, mood, function, mobility, and pain medication use.