Device for Treating Generalized Anxiety
Key facts
- Who runs it
- BTL Industries Ltd.
- Where
- Chicago, Denver, and Newburgh, United StatesSee the 3 sites
- Trial code
- Status
- Recruiting
- People taking part
- 40 people, planned
- Started
- 9 Sept 2026
- Expected to end
- 9 Apr 2027
- Type of study
- Interventional, 2 groupsOne group gets a sham (pretend) treatment, for comparison.
- Treatments tested
- EXOMIND (BTL-699-2) Active treatment
- EXOMIND (BTL-699-2) Sham treatment
- Record updated
- 18 September 2026
Who can take part
- Age
- 22 years and older
- Sex
- Women and men
- Healthy volunteers
- Cannot take part
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 37 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- Age ≥ 22 years
- A diagnosis of GAD according to DSM-5 criteria, confirmed by a qualified clinician at screening
- Ability to determine the motor threshold of the participant. The participant's motor threshold could be established as the minimum stimulus required to induce contraction of the right thumb
- Subjects willing and able to abstain from partaking in any treatments other than the pre-procedure therapy regime for the treatment of anxiety, including non-invasive brain stimulation treatments other than the study procedure during study participation
- Willingness to comply with study instructions and to return to the clinic for the required visits
- Women of child-bearing potential* are required to use birth control measures during the whole duration of the study
- If applicable, subjects must be maintained on their pre-study psychotherapeutic regimen and any prescribed chronic medications at a stable therapeutic dose for ≥4 weeks prior to enrollment, with no dose or usage frequency changes permitted during the study; Women of childbearing potential are defined as any female who has experienced menarche and who is NOT permanently sterile or postmenopausal. Postmenopausal is defined as 12 consecutive months with no menses without an alternative medical cause
Who cannot take part
- Active or inactive implants (including device leads), including deep brain stimulators, cochlear implants, ocular implants and vagus nerve stimulators. Contraindicated use could result in serious injury or death
- Drug pumps
- Anticoagulation therapy
- History or concurrent use of electroconvulsive therapy or vagus nerve stimulation
- Substance dependence 3 months prior
- Any other disease or condition at the investigator's discretion that may pose risk to the patient or compromise the study; Examples include cochlear implants, implanted electrodes/stimulators, aneurysm clips or coils, stents, bullet fragments, jewelry and hair barrettes. Failure to follow this restriction could result in serious injury or death. Certain exceptions apply to mouth implants, such as standard amalgam dental fillings, single post dental implants, dental bridge work, and braces. If these items are present, the therapy can still be administered; By means of decompensation, it means a patient with a proven medical history of a decompensated health condition and long-term medication. Patients who use certain medications only for preventive purposes, without any proven previous health condition failure, are not considered contraindicated; Defined by a score of Level 4 or Level 5 on the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (CSSRS)
- Application in the heart area
- Persons with a tendency to seizure (e.g., persons suffering from hypotonia and epilepsy)
- Severe or life-threatening condition
- Pulmonary insufficiency
- Heart disorders
- Renal insufficiency
- Decompensated** hemorrhagic conditions
- Decompensated** blood coagulation disorders
- Decompensated** cardiovascular diseases
- Malignant tumor or benign tumor
- History of suicide attempts in the last 3 years
- Substance-induced depression or depression secondary to a general medical condition
- Seasonal affective disorder
- A psychotic disorder including schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disease, borderline personality disorder or major depression with psychotic features
- Neurological disorders, including a history of seizures, cerebrovascular disease, primary or secondary tumors in CNS, cerebral aneurysm, dementia, or movement disorders
- Ongoing intake disorders such as bulimia or anorexia, or intake disorder in the past fiscal year
- History of increased intracranial pressure or head trauma
- Metallic objects in or near the head rTMS devices are contraindicated for use in patients who have conductive, ferromagnetic or other magnetic-sensitive metals implanted in their head or within 12 in (30 cm) of the treatment coil.*
- Implanted stimulator devices
- Fever
- Pregnancy
- Active suicidal intent***
- Substance abuse
- Nursing
Where in United States
- The Study by ACChicago, United StatesContact: Charmi Patel, MDTaking people
- Aria Integrative HealthDenver, United StatesContact: Henry Johnston III, MDTaking people
- Cady Wellness InstituteNewburgh, United StatesContact: Louis Cady, MDTaking people
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if treatment with the BTL-699-2 device (non-invasive repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation) can decrease anxiety symptoms in adults (aged 22 years and older) diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). The main questions it aims to answer are:
Read full original descriptionShow less
Does the accelerated treatment protocol using the BTL-699-2 device reduce self-reported anxiety symptoms (as measured by the GAD-7 scale) 3 months after the final treatment? What are the safety and side effects associated with the use of the BTL-699-2 device during this accelerated protocol? Researchers will compare the active treatment group (Group A, receiving stimulation intensity of up to 70% of the individual's motor threshold) to a sham control group (Group B, receiving an inactive stimulation intensity of 5% of their motor threshold) to see if the active brain stimulation works to treat Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
Participants will:
* Attend a screening/baseline visit to confirm GAD diagnosis (using the MINI diagnostic interview), review medical history, and establish their individual motor threshold. * Complete 8 study treatment visits scheduled twice weekly (2 to 4 days apart) over approximately 4 weeks. Each visit will consist of two consecutive 19-minute treatment sessions delivered at least 15 minutes apart (for a total of 16 treatments). * Complete self-reported and clinician-reported questionnaires assessing anxiety (GAD-7, HAM-A), depressive symptoms (PHQ-9), well-being (WEMWBS), suicidal risk (CSSRS), clinical improvement (CGI-I, PGI-I), and treatment comfort/satisfaction (TCQ, SSQ) at designated baseline, treatment, and follow-up visits. * Undergo a urine pregnancy test at baseline and once weekly (every other treatment visit) if they are women of childbearing potential. * Attend 2 follow-up visits scheduled at 1 month and 3 months after the final treatment to evaluate long-term outcomes and safety
The 2 groups in the trial
- Treatment with BTL-699-2Treatment being tested
Participants will receive active treatment with BTL-699-2, at an intensity of 80% of motor threshold
Treatment: EXOMIND (BTL-699-2) Active treatment
- Sham Treatment with BTL-699-2Sham treatment, for comparison
Participants will receive sham treatment with BTL-699-2, at an intensity of 5% of motor threshold
Treatment: EXOMIND (BTL-699-2) Sham treatment
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorData and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of an Accelerated Protocol for Treating Generalized Anxiety Disorder Using the BTL-699-2 Device
- Record updated
- 18 September 2026