First patient in the Netherlands receives promising migraine implant in clinical study
For the Dutch press release, click here!
Eindhoven, 17 February 2025 - For the first time in the Netherlands, a patient has been implanted with an ultra-thin implant for chronic migraine as part of a clinical study. The procedure was conducted at Erasmus MC in Rotterdam. The migraine therapy, developed by medical device company Salvia BioElectronics, is currently being investigated in an ongoing study in Belgium, Australia, and now the Netherlands. In addition to Erasmus MC, St. Antonius Hospital Utrecht/Nieuwegein is also participating in the study.
Salvia BioElectronics' migraine therapy consists of two ultra-thin implants: one placed just beneath the skin of the forehead and another just beneath the skin at the back of the head. Patients receive an external, wearable device that allows them to activate the therapy with the press of a button.
Migraine Therapy
Since 2017, Salvia’s migraine therapy has been developed at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven. Salvia’s unique implant is designed to reduce the frequency and intensity of migraine attacks by delivering gentle electrical pulses to the nerves associated with the condition. This technology, known as neuromodulation, has been successfully used for decades in the treatment of other neurological disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy.
Neuromodulation
"Our nervous system uses electrical signals to regulate how our body moves, feels, and functions," says Prof. Dr. Frank Huygen, Professor of Anaesthesiology at Erasmus MC, who conducted the first procedure in Salvia’s study in the Netherlands. "In migraine, these signals can become disrupted. Neuromodulation may help correct this and restore balance." Neuromodulation has also been proven successful in treating cluster headache, Huygen emphasises. "Chronic migraine is a different condition, and we are committed to investigating whether neuromodulation can also benefit migraine patients."
The initial test results of Salvia’s migraine therapy are promising, but further research is needed to confirm its safety and efficacy.
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Studies in the Netherlands
St. Antonius Hospital Utrecht/Nieuwegein, alongside Erasmus MC, is one of the Dutch hospitals participating in Salvia’s ongoing RECLAIM study. "For migraine patients who do not experience sufficient relief from medication, neuromodulation could offer a solution. Its effectiveness has already been demonstrated for cluster headache, and the results of a small pilot study involving migraine patients are also promising," says Dr. Harold Nijhuis, anaesthesiologist and pain specialist at St. Antonius Hospital.
"As one of the largest implantation centres for neurostimulators in the Netherlands, we can make a significant contribution to the RECLAIM study, aiming to offer migraine patients a treatment option that enhances their quality of life." Erasmus MC shares this vision, says Prof. Dr. Frank Huygen: "The pain medicine department at Erasmus MC is continuously striving to gain a deeper understanding of neurological disorders and the effects of innovative therapies."
The study also includes multiple clinical sites in Belgium and Australia.
Migraine is not “just a headache”
"Chronic migraine affects an estimated one to two percent of the global population," says Dr. Hans Carpay, migraine expert, neurologist at The Migraine Clinic, and author of the book ‘Migraine is geen hoofdpijn’. "Most patients are young people in the prime of their lives, often women. Many experience inadequate relief from existing therapies or medications, leaving them barely able to work and missing out on significant parts of their social lives. For some, the condition even makes it difficult for them to start a family."
Carpay is one of the neurologists assessing patients for potential referral to the study at participating hospitals, along with Dr. Emile Couturier, neurologist at Neurologie Centrum Amsterdam in Boerhaave MC.
Mission
"What is Salvia’s ultimate goal? "We are committed to providing people with severe migraine a new treatment option through their neurologist," says Dr. Wim Pollet, Medical Director at Salvia BioElectronics. "Our mission is to help people with chronic migraine reclaim control over their lives."
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