At-home Ultrasound Localized Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis Study [At-home ULTRA Study]

NCT07163221 | Recruiting FDA Device

• 1 other identifier: Pro00087265
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 5

Brief Summary

The At-Home ULTRA Study will evaluate performance of the MINI system as indicated for the treatment of adults with active, moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis who are inadequate responders or are intolerant to conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (csDMARDs), biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs), or targeted synthetic DMARDs (tsDMARDs). The non-invasive study device delivers ultrasound stimulation to the spleen to reduce inflammation. The study will enroll at least 60 participants at up to 8 sites. There will be three arms consisting of two active stimulation groups (treatment) and one non-active stimulation group (sham-control). After completing the double-blinded primary endpoint assessment period at Week 12, there will be a one-way crossover of control participants to active stimulation and an additional 12 week follow-up with all participants to evaluate long-term outcomes.

Conditions

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Keywords

RA; SecondWave Systems; SecondWave; Rheumatoid Arthritis; Neuromodulation; Ultrasound; Splenic Ultrasound; Spleen; Spleen stimulation; Ultrasound Stimulation; Immunomodulation; spleen stimulating device; drug refractory; noninvasive; non-invasive

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Change in DAS28-CRP score from baseline to 12 weeks, compared between Arm 1 and Arm 3 (sham control)

  A decrease in Disease Activity Score indicates an improved outcome

  12 weeks

• Change in DAS28-CRP score from baseline to 12 weeks , compared between Arm 2 and Arm 3 (sham control)

  A decrease in Disease Activity Score indicates an improved outcome

  12 weeks

Other Outcomes (9)

• Comparison of responder rate between Arm1 or Arm 2 versus Arm 3 for the ACR20

  12 and 24 weeks

• Comparison of responder rate between Arm1 or Arm 2 versus Arm 3 for the ACR50

  12 and 24 weeks

• Comparison of responder rate between Arm1 or Arm 2 versus Arm 3 for the ACR70

  12 and 24 weeks

Study Arms (3)

Control

SHAM COMPARATOR

Non-active Sham Stimulation

Device: Sham ultrasound stimulation (control); Drug: Conventional Synthetic DMARD

Treatment Setting 1

EXPERIMENTAL

Subjects will receive daily noninvasive ultrasound stimulation of the spleen using Ultrasound Treatment Setting 1 for 20 minutes once per day

Device: Non-invasive ultrasound stimulation of the spleen - Treatment Setting 1; Drug: Conventional Synthetic DMARD

Treatment Setting 2

EXPERIMENTAL

Subjects will receive daily noninvasive ultrasound stimulation of the spleen using Ultrasound Treatment Setting 2 for 20 minutes once per day

Device: Non-invasive ultrasound stimulation of the spleen - Treatment Setting 2; Drug: Conventional Synthetic DMARD

Interventions

Non-invasive ultrasound stimulation of the spleen - Treatment Setting 1 DEVICE

Subjects will receive daily noninvasive ultrasound stimulation of the spleen using Ultrasound Treatment Setting 1 for 20 minutes once per day

Treatment Setting 1

Non-invasive ultrasound stimulation of the spleen - Treatment Setting 2 DEVICE

Subjects will receive daily noninvasive ultrasound stimulation of the spleen using Ultrasound Treatment Setting 2 for 20 minutes once per day

Treatment Setting 2

Sham ultrasound stimulation (control) DEVICE

Sham ultrasound stimulation for 20 minutes once per day

Control

Conventional Synthetic DMARD DRUG

All subjects will take at least one type of conventional synthetic DMARD at the same stable dose for at least 8 weeks prior to the treatment period and continuing through study close out

Control; Treatment Setting 1; Treatment Setting 2

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Males and females ages 18 and above
• Active moderate to severe seropositive RA
• At least 6 total tender and/or swollen joints counted on a 28 joint assessment during screening and at Week 0 (a joint that is both tender and swollen will be counted as "2")
• Demonstrated an inadequate response to, or loss of response to standard csDMARD treatment (e.g., methotrexate) or up to three total bDMARDs and tsDMARDs
• Receiving stable background treatment with a csDMARD prior to start of the treatment period at Week 0. Methotrexate (if chosen as background treatment) must be maintained at a stable dose for at least 4 weeks prior to Week 0, while all other csDMARDs (if chosen as background treatment) must be maintained at a stable dose for at least 8 weeks prior to Week 0. Participants must be willing to maintain their background medication regimen throughout the 28-week study period.
• For participants that have previously undergone treatment with bDMARDs or tsDMARDs therapy, those treatments must be discontinued at least 4 weeks prior to start of the treatment period at Week 0 and may not be resumed until after the Week 24 Closeout Visit
• For participants that have previously undergone treatment with Golimumab or Infliximab, those treatments must be discontinued at least 8 weeks prior to start of the treatment period at Week 0 and may not be resumed until after the Week 24 Closeout Visit
• Participants may receive up to 10 mg of daily prednisone as part of their background treatment but must have maintained a stable dose for a minimum of 6 weeks prior to start of the treatment period at Week 0, and must be willing to maintain the stable dose until after the Week 24 Closeout Visit
• Torso circumference at the belly button and sternum level must both be in the range of 25 to 50 inches
• Participants with an immunomodulation device must be willing and able to turn the device off at least 4 weeks prior to start of the treatment period at Week 0 and may not be resumed until after the Week 24 Closeout Visit
• Participants must be willing not to initiate any new treatments with expected immune modulating effects during the study period, and any existing immune modulating treatments must be stabilized by Week 0
• Participants must be willing and able to follow the medication rules described in the study's IRB-approved Medication Guide

You may not qualify if:

• Active bacterial or viral infection
• Pregnant women or those trying to become pregnant
• Receiving active chemotherapy or immunotherapy to treat malignancy within 30 days prior to enrollment
• Having received more than a total of three bDMARDs and tsDMARDs
• Having received Rituximab monoclonal antibody medication
• Presence of an implanted device or other solid object in the vicinity of the spleen that can interfere with or absorb the ultrasound beam
• History of asplenia
• History of splenomegaly
• History of ascites
• Recent abdominal surgery
• Currently participating in an investigational drug or device study
• Open wound/sores that would make performing study procedures too difficult
• Inability to perform minimal daily self-cares associated with feeding or dressing, such as lifting a cup of water to the mouth or putting on clothing.
• Refusal or inability to regularly attend the scheduled on-site visits and at-home visits, or perform the remote video observation sessions
• Cannot speak English

Sponsors & Collaborators

• SecondWave Systems Inc.: lead

Study Sites (5)

Arizona Arthritis and Rheumatology Associates P.C.

Glendale, Arizona, 85306, United States

RECRUITING

Medvin Clinical Research

Covina, California, 91722, United States

RECRUITING

Southland Arthritis & Osteoporosis Medical Center

Temecula, California, 92592, United States

RECRUITING

University of Colorado

Aurora, Colorado, 80045, United States

RECRUITING

University of Minnesota Medical School, Division of Rheumatic and Autoimmune Diseases

Minneapolis, Minnesota, 55455, United States

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Arthritis, Rheumatoid

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Arthritis; Joint Diseases; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Rheumatic Diseases; Connective Tissue Diseases; Skin and Connective Tissue Diseases; Autoimmune Diseases; Immune System Diseases

Study Officials

• Daniel Zachs

  SecondWave Systems Inc.

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Central Study Contacts

Daniel Zachs

CONTACT

612-444-6264; info@secondwaveus.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: QUADRUPLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT, CARE PROVIDER, INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: All subjects, investigators, joint evaluators and outcome assessors will be blinded. Blinding of subjects will be assessed at Week 12.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: INDUSTRY
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Model Details: A 2-stage, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, multicenter study. Participants will be randomized into three groups, where one group is the standard of care control and the other two groups are standard of care plus differing stimulation settings of the SecondWave MINI therapy. Participants assigned to the treatment group will receive active stimulation for 20 min once per day, and those assigned to the control group will receive sham-stimulation for 20 min once per day.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 1, 2025
• First Posted: September 9, 2025
• Study Start: November 3, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): November 1, 2026
• Last Updated: February 10, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Locations

US (5)