LivaNova Launches Global Clinical Registry to Assess VNS Therapy Treatment

LivaNova PLC announced the first implanted patient and official launch of a global registry to evaluate the use of LivaNova’s Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy (VNS Therapy) System for patients with drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE), which affects nearly one in three people with epilepsy.¹ The Comprehensive Outcomes Registry in Subjects with Epilepsy Treated with VNS Therapy (CORE-VNS) study will enroll up to 2,000 patients with five-year follow-up data, yielding one of the largest data sets in the world for DRE patients treated with various generations of VNS Therapy. Data from CORE-VNS will contribute to the body of research related to this disease state and advance the science behind VNS Therapy by evaluating the safety, effectiveness and clinical outcomes for patients.
 
The first implanted CORE-VNS patient received a SenTiva generator, the latest in VNS Therapy technology, and was enrolled at Pediatric Neurology and Epilepsy Specialists (PENS) in Florida by Dr. Jose Ferreira, PENS medical director. In Europe, the first CORE-VNS patient was enrolled by Prof. Arjune Sen at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in the United Kingdom with implant soon to follow.
 
The registry will include up to 80 sites globally, collecting outcomes in real-world settings by following participating patients for up to five years after treatment begins. Documented clinical outcomes will include seizure frequency, seizure severity, quality of life, quality of sleep, antiepileptic drug use, and seizure-related emergency visits and hospitalizations.
 
“Many patients with drug-resistant epilepsy have tried numerous treatment options with limited results. The CORE-VNS study will give us a greater understanding of the drug-resistant epilepsy patient population around the world and the role VNS Therapy can play in the overall management of this disease,” said Bryan Olin, LivaNova’s senior vice president of Clinical, Quality Assurance and Regulatory Affairs. “Additionally, this study will allow us to evaluate the latest advancements in VNS Therapy, including the capability to track and use real-time patient data to inform treatment.”

Dr. Kore Liow, FACP, FAAN, from the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center at Hawaii Pacific Neuroscience and clinical professor at the University of Hawaii John Burns School of Medicine, has enrolled the most patients to date in the CORE-VNS registry in preparation for VNS Therapy implants. “By following these patients for five years, we will gain a significant amount of high-quality, real-world clinical data on VNS Therapy as an adjunctive treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy,” said Liow.
 
VNS Therapy received CE Mark in 1994 and U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval in 1997 as an adjunctive treatment for drug-resistant epilepsy. The system consists of two implantable components: a programmable electronic pulse generator that is connected to a bipolar electrical lead, which sends mild pulses to stimulate the vagus nerve at regular intervals throughout the day.
 
VNS Therapy is clinically proven safe and effective for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy for adults and children. VNS Therapy is designed to prevent seizures before they occur and stop them if they do. It is a unique treatment approach developed for people with drug-resistant epilepsy—a condition that affects one in three people with epilepsy.
 
LivaNova PLC is a global medical technology company built on nearly five decades of experience and a relentless commitment to improve the lives of patients around the world. LivaNova’s technologies and breakthrough treatments provide solutions for the benefit of patients, healthcare professionals and healthcare systems. Headquartered in London, United Kingdom, LivaNova has a presence in more than 100 countries worldwide. The company currently employs approximately 4,000 employees. LivaNova operates as two businesses: Cardiac Surgery and Neuromodulation, with operating headquarters in Mirandola (Italy) and Houston, Texas, respectively.
 
Reference
1. The New England Journal of Medicine. Drug-Resistant Epilepsy. Patrick Kwan, M.D., Ph.D., Steven C. Schachter, M.D., and Martin J. Brodie, M.D.