Israel-based BrainsWay recently announced the de novo FDA clearance of its Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) system for treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).

According to the press release, the BrainsWay Deep TMS system was previously cleared for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder in 2013, and this month’s de novo clearance is the second indication granted for the device, and marks the first clearance of a non-invasive device for treatment of OCD.  The BrainsWay press release further notes that the Deep TMS system’s H7-coil targets the anterior cingulate cortex, which is known to play a role in the pathophysiology of OCD.  BrainsWay stated that Deep TMS treatment, which uses changing magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain, is non-invasive and has been shown to be safe and well-tolerated by patients.

BrainsWay plans to offer its OCD treatment both in new installations and as an upgrade to its existing systems.  Addressing the broad future applicability of the Deep TMS system, BrainsWay president and CEO Yaacov Michlin said:

This clearance further establishes Deep TMS as a platform technology that will provide treatments for additional psychiatric indications, subject to successful completion of our currently ongoing multi center studies and regulatory approvals.