Key Points
- Last year’s most-clicked articles included news about Parkinson’s disease and new FDA approvals.
- Readers were also interested in newer applications of focused ultrasound, including for varicose veins and aortic valve stenosis.
Webinar: New Approaches in Parkinson’s Disease Treatment
April 21, 2023
This record-breaking webinar discussed new approaches to treat Parkinson’s disease. Experts addressed the state of treatment options, including the latest advancements in focused ultrasound. A patient – whose story was the second most popular article of 2023 – shared how the technology changed his life.
Meet John: Parkinson’s Patient Celebrates Focused Ultrasound as ‘Best Decision’
June 23, 2023
John suffers from both Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis (MS). While he reports his MS is under control, the tremors caused by the Parkinson’s had significantly diminished his quality of life. In our most-viewed patient story of the year, watch behind-the-scenes footage from his ‘miracle’ focused ultrasound treatment.
Focused Ultrasound Now FDA Approved to Treat Essential Tremor Patients’ Second Side
January 5, 2023
Last year began with big news for the essential tremor patient community. Insightec announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared its focused ultrasound device to treat patients’ non-dominant side. The disease commonly affects both sides of the body, and up until this news, focused ultrasound was only approved for unilateral treatments. The ruling was based on data that showed a significant reduction in tremor following treatment of the second side.
US FDA Clears Focused Ultrasound to Noninvasively Treat Liver Tumors
October 9, 2023
The second FDA-related news to make the list is the agency’s ruling that cleared HistoSonics’ Edison histotripsy platform to treat liver tumors. This was the ninth FDA-approved indication for focused ultrasound, and the first-in-the-world approval for histotripsy.
Focused Ultrasound Reaches Millions on CNN
January 22, 2023
CNN’s Vital Signs, which is hosted by famed correspondent and neurosurgeon Dr. Sanjay Gupta, featured Brenda Hric, a patient with essential tremor, as she was treated with focused ultrasound at the University of Virginia. The episode featured an in-depth interview with our Chairman and Founder, Neal F. Kassell, MD. Said Brenda after her treatment, “It was the first time I had been able to see my fingers ‘still’ in about 20 years. I think it’s definitely a miracle.”
Gene Therapy Breakthrough in Parkinson’s Disease
May 4, 2023
A preclinical study led by Professor José Obeso in Madrid, Spain, used focused ultrasound plus microbubbles to deliver gene therapy across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Gene therapy has incredible potential to prevent, stop, or treat Parkinson’s disease. Results indicated that the gene therapy reached the target areas, and BBB opening was temporary, safe, and well tolerated.
Study Suggests Focused Ultrasound Treatment of Aortic Valve Stenosis Safe, Stroke-Free
July 20, 2023
Cardiawave’s Valvosoft® device uses focused ultrasound to nonthermally soften a calcified aortic valve. Initial safety data from a first-in-human study to treat calcific aortic stenosis using the device indicated that no acute ischemic changes, major adverse events, or signs of stroke were present. In November, six-month data of 40 participants were published in The Lancet.
Pivotal Trial Results of Focused Ultrasound for Parkinson’s Disease Published in the New England Journal of Medicine
February 23, 2023
The prestigious New England Journal of Medicine published results from a multicenter, international clinical trial of focused ultrasound to address the major motor symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The paper indicated that 69% of participants responded to the therapy three months after treatment, and the majority of those showed sustained results after one year. These data contributed to the US FDA expanding approval of focused ultrasound to include the treatment of patients with advanced PD suffering with mobility, rigidity, or dyskinesia.
New Clinical Trial for Treating Varicose Veins with Focused Ultrasound
June 8, 2023
In June, Theraclion received US FDA clearance to begin a new pivotal clinical trial testing the Sonovein® device for the treatment of primary insufficiency of great saphenous veins. The first patients were treated in the multicenter study, called VEINRESET, in October.
Focused Ultrasound Foundation and The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research Partner on Liquid Biopsy Clinical Trial
February 9, 2023
The Foundation and The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research (MJFF) partnered to fund a clinical trial investigating whether focused ultrasound could enhance a brain tissue sampling technique – called liquid biopsy – in patients with Parkinson’s disease. The 10-participant trial will evaluate safety and preliminary efficacy of using Insightec’s Exablate Neuro focused ultrasound device to disrupt the blood-brain barrier (BBB), allowing proteins related to Parkinson’s disease to escape the brain and be detected in the peripheral blood. The study is being led by Nora Vanegas, MD, at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston.