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NCT Number: NCT07163221

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

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.

Recruiting

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Key information

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Arizona Arthritis and Rheumatology Associates P.C., Glendale, Arizona, United States

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Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • 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

Exclusion criteria

  • 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
  • Any other clinical reasons deemed by the investigators of the study in which the patient would not be an appropriate candidate for the study

Treatment and study plan

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

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

Sham ultrasound stimulation (control)

Device

Sham ultrasound stimulation for 20 minutes once per day

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

Primary outcomes

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

    Time frame: 12 weeks

    A decrease in Disease Activity Score indicates an improved outcome

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

    Time frame: 12 weeks

    A decrease in Disease Activity Score indicates an improved outcome

Other outcomes

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

    Time frame: 12 and 24 weeks

    ACR20, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20 response is defined as 20% improvement in tender and swollen joint counts and 20% improvement in 3 of the 5 remaining ACR core set measures: patient and physician global assessments, pain, disability, and an acute-phase reactant

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

    Time frame: 12 and 24 weeks

    ACR50, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 50 response is defined as 50% improvement in tender and swollen joint counts and 50% improvement in 3 of the 5 remaining ACR core set measures: patient and physician global assessments, pain, disability, and an acute-phase reactant

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

    Time frame: 12 and 24 weeks

    ACR70, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 70 response is defined as 70% improvement in tender and swollen joint counts and 70% improvement in 3 of the 5 remaining ACR core set measures: patient and physician global assessments, pain, disability, and an acute-phase reactant

  4. Good EULAR response

    Time frame: 12 and 24 weeks

    European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) "good" response corresponding to clinical improvement in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is defined by a DAS28-CRP of ≤3.2 and a DAS28-CRP decrease of more than 1.2 from the baseline score

  5. Moderate EULAR response

    Time frame: 12 and 24 weeks

    European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) "moderate" response corresponding to clinical improvement in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and is defined as either a decrease in DAS28-CRP of >0.6 to ≤1.2 while maintaining a DAS28 score of ≤5.1, OR a decrease of >1.2 in DAS28-CRP but with a current score >3.2

  6. Satisfaction response

    Time frame: 12 and 24 weeks

    Questions to assess benefit, acceptance and usability of the treatment

  7. Change in HAQ-DI

    Time frame: 12 and 24 weeks

    The Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) is made up of 8 domains of daily activity. A decrease in score indicates improved physical function

  8. Change in DAS28-CRP score from baseline to 24 weeks, compared between Arm 1 and Arm 3 (sham control)

    Time frame: 24 weeks

    A decrease in Disease Activity Score indicates an improved outcome

  9. Change in DAS28-CRP score from baseline to 24 weeks, compared between Arm 2 and Arm 3 (sham control)

    Time frame: 24 weeks

    A decrease in Disease Activity Score indicates an improved outcome

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Daniel Zachs

CONTACT

[email protected]

612-444-6264

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

SecondWave Systems Inc.

Industry

Registry information

Acronym: At-home ULTRA

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Sep 9, 2025
Registry last updated
Jun 17, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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