Syntropic Medical launches Clinical Study for non-invasive light-based depression treatment
Depression affects more than 20 million adults in the United States alone. Now, xista science ventures portfolio company Syntropic Medical has announced the launch of a groundbreaking clinical study ( NCT06922812 ) aimed to test their new non-invasive brain stimulation method designed to treat depression using light-based therapy.
Need for Novel Treatment Methods
Despite the availability of antidepressant medications, many patients experience limited relief or suffer from significant side effects. Syntropic Medical is pioneering a safer, well-tolerated alternative using 60Hz white light stimulation: a method that has already shown promising results in preclinical studies by enhancing neuroplasticity and reducing depressive symptoms in animal models.
“Approximately 70% of patients taking antidepressants do not achieve remission and up to 25% stop taking them due to severe side effects. It is therefore crucial that we begin to develop entirely new ways to treat these disorders.”, explains CEO Mark Caffrey.
A preliminary 3-week safety study in healthy volunteers has already demonstrated the therapy’s good tolerability, supporting the decision to move into patient clinical study. This marks the first study evaluating the safety of the technology in patients, with some insights also on clinical efficacy.
Syntropic Medical's Clinical Study
The clinical study enrolls patients on a stable antidepressant regimen. Conducted at the Institute of Psychiatry, University Hospital of São Paulo in Brazil, it is carried out in collaboration with Dr. Andre Brunoni and Dr. Kallene Vidal. Participants undergo daily sessions of 60Hz white light stimulation delivered through Syntropic’s device.
“This study represents a step toward a new class of depression treatments that are non-invasive, accessible, and grounded in a novel mechanism of action,” comments Maria Teresa Ferretti, Clinical Operations and Partnerships Manager at Syntropic Medical.
If successful, this approach could offer millions of people a new path to mental health recovery, without the drawbacks of conventional drug therapies.
About Syntropic
Syntropic is an Austria-based medical device company spun out of the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) by Mark Caffrey, Jack O’Keeffe, Dr. Alessandro Venturino, and Prof. Sandra Siegert. The company is developing new technologies that enhance the brain’s neuroplasticity, allowing for the treatment of psychiatric disorders and the improvement of cognition. Syntropic’s mission is to advance mental health care through the development of innovative technologies that target underlying causes of neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression.
www.syntropicmedical.com
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Syntropic Medical launches Clinical Study for non-invasive light-based depression treatment
Depression affects more than 20 million adults in the United States alone. Now, xista science ventures portfolio company Syntropic Medical has announced the launch of a groundbreaking clinical study ( NCT06922812 ) aimed to test their new non-invasive brain stimulation method designed to treat depression using light-based therapy.
Need for Novel Treatment Methods
Despite the availability of antidepressant medications, many patients experience limited relief or suffer from significant side effects. Syntropic Medical is pioneering a safer, well-tolerated alternative using 60Hz white light stimulation: a method that has already shown promising results in preclinical studies by enhancing neuroplasticity and reducing depressive symptoms in animal models.
“Approximately 70% of patients taking antidepressants do not achieve remission and up to 25% stop taking them due to severe side effects. It is therefore crucial that we begin to develop entirely new ways to treat these disorders.”, explains CEO Mark Caffrey.
A preliminary 3-week safety study in healthy volunteers has already demonstrated the therapy’s good tolerability, supporting the decision to move into patient clinical study. This marks the first study evaluating the safety of the technology in patients, with some insights also on clinical efficacy.
Syntropic Medical's Clinical Study
The clinical study enrolls patients on a stable antidepressant regimen. Conducted at the Institute of Psychiatry, University Hospital of São Paulo in Brazil, it is carried out in collaboration with Dr. Andre Brunoni and Dr. Kallene Vidal. Participants undergo daily sessions of 60Hz white light stimulation delivered through Syntropic’s device.
“This study represents a step toward a new class of depression treatments that are non-invasive, accessible, and grounded in a novel mechanism of action,” comments Maria Teresa Ferretti, Clinical Operations and Partnerships Manager at Syntropic Medical.
If successful, this approach could offer millions of people a new path to mental health recovery, without the drawbacks of conventional drug therapies.
About Syntropic
Syntropic is an Austria-based medical device company spun out of the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (ISTA) by Mark Caffrey, Jack O’Keeffe, Dr. Alessandro Venturino, and Prof. Sandra Siegert. The company is developing new technologies that enhance the brain’s neuroplasticity, allowing for the treatment of psychiatric disorders and the improvement of cognition. Syntropic’s mission is to advance mental health care through the development of innovative technologies that target underlying causes of neuropsychiatric disorders such as depression.
www.syntropicmedical.com