Pain Care Labs Awarded Phase 2 Funding from NIH HEAL Initiative, Announces Successful Phase 1 Pilot
ATLANTA, GEORGIA, USA: Pain Care Labs, the industry leader in non-invasive pain relief devices, announced today that it has received additional funding totaling $1.7 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to apply its patented technology to low back pain relief. As part of the Helping to End Addiction Long-term Initiative or NIH HEAL Initiative, the research effort aims to improve treatments for chronic pain, curb the rates of opioid use disorder and overdose and achieve long-term recovery from opioid addiction. Additional funding under the grant will allow Pain Care Labs to address opioid use disorder with the continued development and clinical evaluation of a multimodal neuromodulation device for use in acute and chronic low back pain.
Pain Care Labs uses Nobel-prize-winning science to make devices incorporating pressure and temperature to relieve acute and chronic pain. A successful Phase 1 pilot showed a 57% reduction in low back pain that lasted approximately as long as acetaminophen with codeine. Pain Care Labs now accesses additional funding for large-scale clinical trials and manufacturing to make the low-back pain device market-ready, and to evaluate the appropriateness of the device as an opioid alternative. The new funding is especially timely in connection with ongoing distancing directives necessitated by COVID-19, when patients need options to manage pain at home.
“While many Americans remain close to home, the challenge of pain management becomes more urgent,” explains Amy Baxter, MD, CEO and Chief Medical Officer. “Patients lack their usual access to pain control modalities, including physical therapy, massage, and acupuncture, so opioid alternatives are even more critical.” Pain Care Labs currently offers a variety of available interventions for pain relief for inflammation, overuse, and post-operative recovery. The new funding under the grant allows Pain Care Labs to expand on Phase 1 success with difficult-to-treat low back pain, and accelerate the market-readiness of the low back pain device.
“Our mission is to eliminate unnecessary pain. The Buzzy needle pain relief devices we pioneered are helping get the country vaccinated,” says Dr. Baxter. “We look forward to expanding our proven solutions to low back and pelvic pain, and understanding how to optimize mechanical stimulation to cancel pain. The new grant funding accelerates that timeline. This is a win for the nation.”
Existing research shows that more than one in three adults say back pain impacts everyday activities, including sleep. “Pain feels worse when you feel helpless. This grant will allow us to expand the technology in our patented M-Stim and Oscillice technologies, testing new frequencies and thermal modalities in a bigger device specific for the low back. Additionally, we'll research whether having power over pain reduces opioid use," says Dr. Baxter.
This week, the Company is thrilled to be exhibiting VibraCool, VibraCool Pro, and DuoTherm in person for the first time in nearly two years at the Becker's ASC 27th Annual Meeting in Chicago. “Under pandemic, surgery centers have played a crucial role in delivering high-quality, low-cost healthcare,” observes Nicole O’Brien, Director of Channel Marketing & Business Development at Pain Care Labs. “We are honored to be part of the conversation around strategic growth of ASCs, with patient care at the center.”
