Theranica, a prescribed digital therapeutics company developing advanced digitally-connected neuromodulation devices for migraine and other pain conditions, announced today it has teamed up with Point32Health, the parent organization of Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan, to conduct a 12-month pilot aimed at treating the organization’s commercial members suffering from episodic and chronic migraine.
“Point32Health recognizes the importance of providing its members with advanced effective solutions to improve their quality of life,” said Alon Ironi, CEO of Theranica. “We are dedicated to making Nerivio accessible to people with migraine who seek cost-effective, chemical-free therapies to manage this debilitating disease. We look forward to working with Point32Health and with the healthcare providers participating in this pilot, and to forging additional strategic collaborations to ensure wide scope access to this disruptive-technology therapy.”
Nerivio is an FDA-cleared, prescribed, smartphone-controlled, drug-free wearable device for the treatment of episodic and chronic migraine in people aged 12 and older. Uniquely worn on the upper arm at the onset of a migraine attack, Nerivio alleviates migraine headache and associated symptoms by utilizing remote electrical neuromodulation to trigger an endogenous analgesic mechanism, known as conditioned pain modulation. The device can be utilized as a standard of care pharmacological option, as a standalone treatment or in combination with existing treatments.
“Migraine impacts more than 10 percent of the population, causing substantial discomfort that negatively impacts their quality of life,” said Michael Sherman, MD, MBA, MS, executive vice president and chief medical officer at Point32Health. “We are excited to work with Theranica to offer Nerivio as a drug-free solution to our members experiencing acute migraines and recurring attacks. This pilot highlights our commitment to offering access to a wide range of medical devices and tools that support healthy living.”
Eligible Harvard Pilgrim and Tufts health plans members in New England should discuss enrollment to the program with their neurologists. Participating neurologists will prescribe Nerivio to eligible Harvard Pilgrim Health Care and Tufts Health Plan members, including Tufts Health Direct members.
“Many of my patients have found Nerivio to be highly efficacious for them,” said Sait Ashina, MD, Assistant Professor of Neurology and headache specialist in Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School in Boston. “Given the multifaceted complexity of migraine, it’s essential that patients have access to a wide range of therapies, both pharmacological and drug-free. A considerable portion of the patients in my clinic are members of Point32Health, and I’m appreciative that they can now have access to this important therapy.”