Kessler and BrainQ are collaborating on a national study of a groundbreaking device to improve stroke recovery

Kessler and BrainQ are collaborating on a national study of a groundbreaking device to improve stroke recovery

Researchers from the Kessler Foundation and the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation (collectively “Kessler”) are enrolling participants in a national study of a groundbreaking device to improve recovery from stroke. Kessler locations in West Orange and Saddle Brook, NJ, are among 20 locations across the U.S. participating in the EMAGINE Stroke Recovery Trial, which combines therapeutic exercise with brain stimulation through a portable investigational device. Steven Kirshblum, MD, is principal investigator and Ghaith Androwis, PhD, is co-primary investigator for the Kessler study.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stroke affects nearly 800,000 people in the United States each year. “Given the far-reaching impact that stroke has on individuals, families and caregivers, as well as on health services and our economy, the benefits of improving outcomes for stroke rehabilitation are significant,” said Steven Kirshblum, MD, chief medical officer of Kessler Foundation and Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation. Dr. Kirshblum is also chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School.

“Too often, a stroke results in long-term disability that affects quality of life,” continued Dr. Kirshblum gone. "Now we know that with early and intensive intervention, stroke survivors are able to regain function. The EMAGINE trial capitalizes on this brain and spinal cord neuroplasticity by supplementing standard rehabilitation with electromagnetic stimulation and making therapies available in various settings, including the home," he explained.

Each site plans to enroll individuals within four to 21 days of a moderate to severe ischemic stroke. At Kessler, three participants have so far been enrolled in the randomized, sham-controlled and double-blind study, said Dr. Androwis, senior research scientist at the Kessler Foundation's Center for Mobility and Rehabilitation Engineering Research and director of the center's Rehabilitation Robotics and Research Laboratory.

The first participant completed the nine-week protocol, which includes 45 one-hour sessions conducted five times per week. During each session, the participant performs therapeutic exercises while wearing the device, which fits over their head and torso without interrupting the participant's ability to perform functional tasks with their upper extremities.

“Given the promising results of our completed BrainQ study in individuals with chronic spinal cord injury, we look forward to studying the potential benefits of this non-invasive brain and spine stimulation intervention in individuals with stroke disability,” said Dr. Androwis.

Using machine learning, the BQ device targets affected areas of the brain with electromagnetic field therapy. The therapy, tailored to low intensity and frequency, is administered alongside current standard physical and occupational therapy to facilitate neuroregeneration. Preliminary results were promising, leading the FDA to grant Breakthrough Device Designation to BrainQ's device in 2021.

BrainQ's developers see the device's potential for a flexible therapy continuum from acute care through rehabilitation to post-discharge home use. “The opportunity to remain involved in therapy throughout the recovery process is a unique aspect of the EMAGINE study,”

emphasized Dr. Androwis. “Participants will be able to access this investigational therapy from home, under the supervision of a trained nurse and remote monitoring by a member of the study team.”

We are pleased that true leaders in rehabilitative research and clinical care, including the Kessler Foundation and the Kessler Institute, are our partners in the EMAGINE study. Together we strive towards our shared goal – transforming the future of stroke rehabilitation by restoring lost mobility through innovative technology applied to home solutions.”

Yotam Drechsler, CEO of BrainQ

Eligible participants will be recruited from the Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, a Select Medical inpatient rehabilitation hospital that provides rehabilitative care for stroke and other disabilities. Inpatients undergoing stroke rehabilitation are assessed for suitability by the Kessler study team.

The study is funded by BrainQ, the developer of the test device.

Source:

Kessler Foundation

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