The FDA has cleared a new treatment for major depressive disorder.
Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation (iTBS) will now be offered by Magstim as part of its Horizon TMS Therapy systems. There are now three options when considering treatment of this sort for depression: the standard repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) for a total of 37.5 minutes; accelerated TMS which takes 19 minutes; and iTBS which only takes three minutes.
“I am pleased that we can now market the full capabilities of the Horizon Performance platform,” said Magstim’s group CEO Lothar Krinke. “The versatility coupled with the proprietary Energy Recovery System gives us a distinct advantage in the market. We want to provide innovative systems that allow clinicians and researchers to customize and personalize treatment for patients, and this clearance is another step in that direction.”
The Horizon Performance products use electromagnetic coils to engage specific parts of the brain which are reduced, which can cause a person to be depressed. The iTBS treatment is already available in the U.K. and the EU.
“Theta burst therapy is rapidly gaining popularity among TMS Centers in the U.K. based on evidence from elsewhere in the world, it is as effective as standard TMS,” said Alex O’Neill-Kerr, clinical lead for the Centre for Neuromodulation at Berrywood Hospital in Northampton.
