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Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP)SENECANCT07628179

SENECA - Smart Therapies for Chronic Pain

A study testing VIVO 2nd GEN and Standard-of-Care Multimodal Pain Therapy in people with Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP), run by Aurimod GmbH at 1 site in Austria.

Not yet recruiting

Opening soon. The study is approved but enrolment has not started yet. Sites may already take enquiries.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

This will be a randomized controlled prospective pilot study: The feasibility and usability of VIVO 2nd GEN therapy + Standard-of-Care (SoC) vs. Standard-of-Care alone will be evaluated. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 30 to 65 years
Conditions the study is for
Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP)
What is being tested?
VIVO 2nd GEN and Standard-of-Care Multimodal Pain Therapy
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
44 participants
Where
1 siteAustria
Study dates
17 Sep 2026to 30 Apr 2027
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 30 to 65 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Male or female aged between 30 and 65 years
  • Indication: chronic myofascial/musculoskeletal back pain
  • normal function of spinal nerves
  • Intractable pain for more than 6 months
  • Patient on oral pharmacotherapy ≤ WHO II with no adequate response or intolerant
  • Average pain over the last 4 weeks according to the 0-10 numerical pain rating scale ≥ 4 and ≤ 9 at baseline
Show all 9Show fewer
  • ODI 20-80 at baseline
  • Basic digital understanding to work with the patient pain app
  • Patient understands the therapy and procedures, agrees to its provisions, and gives written informed consent prior to any procedures

Who cannot join

  • Organic low back pain (trauma, fracture, tumor, infection, severe degenerative spine, documented high-grade spinal stenosis, rheumatologic conditions)
  • Indication for back surgery
  • Back surgery within the last 6 months
  • New analgesics 2 weeks before baseline (paracetamol, NSAIDs, Metamizol, etc.)
  • Opioid analgesic therapy > WHO II
  • New physical therapy modalities for back pain, also TENS, 2 weeks before baseline
Show all 24Show fewer
  • History of vagus nerve stimulation or electrical auricular stimulation
  • History of vasovagal syncope
  • High BMI > 35 kg/m² (Obesity Class 2 or higher)
  • Hemophilia
  • Autonomic disorders
  • Advanced stage or poorly controlled diabetes mellitus type I or II
  • Poorly controlled high blood pressure
  • Major psychiatric comorbidity (HADS > 10 on each subscale at baseline)
  • Other serious clinically relevant co-morbidity
  • History of arrhythmia, bradycardia, other rhythm disorders or any other clinically significant cardiac anomalies
  • Infection, eczema, or psoriasis at application site (ear and neck)
  • Numbed and desensitized skin at the application site (ear and neck)
  • Chronic drug or alcohol abuse within the last 6 months
  • Pregnant or nursing female patients
  • Active implantable device
  • Open pension request
  • Currently participating in another clinical trial or participated over the last 3 months
  • Change in concomitant treatment or medication during the study

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Stefan Kampusch, DI contact

+43 650 36 99 271

s.kampusch@aurimod.com

Austria1 site
  • Klinikum Klagenfurt am Wörthersee

    Klagenfurt, Carinthia, 9020

    Hans-Jürgen Gallowitsch, Univ.-Doz. Dr., +43 463 538-31000, md.klagenfurt@kabeg.at

Other trials in Austria

About this study

Official title: Efficacy of Percutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation Within the Multimodal Pain Therapy (SENECA): A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

This will be a randomized controlled prospective pilot study: The feasibility and usability of VIVO 2nd GEN therapy + Standard-of-Care (SoC) vs. Standard-of-Care alone will be evaluated.

At baseline, after informed consent and evaluation of inclusion and exclusion criteria, evaluation of pain on Numerical and qualitative pain rating scales, quality of life (EQ-5D-5L questionnaire), mental health (HADS questionnaire), and the effect of back pain on function and daily activities (ODI questionnaire) will be performed. After that, all patients will start their multimodal treatment plan.

Read more

The control group will only receive SoC multimodal therapy training (this includes specifically: physio group therapy, water therapy, strength training, Nordic walking, massages, thermos therapy, lectures and trainings, psychotherapy, local electrotherapy).

The treatment group will additionally receive pVNS as add-on therapy. Within this study the next generation device VIVO 2nd GEN will be used within a pVNS proofed indication.

The study documentation in both groups will be supported by a digital diary App (VIVO® Pal) and an online dashboard for physicians/therapists (Therapy Management System - TMS), allowing for pseudonymized data entries and management.

Patients will remain on treatment for 4 weeks. All patients will be evaluated using questionnaires (Numerical and qualitative pain rating scales, EQ-5D-5L, HADS, ODI) at baseline, weekly during treatment for 4 weeks, by end of treatment and at 4 weeks (optional 3 months and 6 months) follow-up (e.g., via telephone or the App, see below).

Being tested
VIVO 2nd GEN, Standard-of-Care Multimodal Pain Therapy
Keywords
auricular vagus nerve stimulation, chronic pain, neuromodulation, multimodal pain therapy, digital therapy management
Medical subject headings
Chronic Pain

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • VIVO 2nd GENDevice

    Also called auricular vagus nerve stimulation, percutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation

    VIVO 2nd GEN is a wearable medical device for personalized pain treatment through percutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (pVNS). It is the next-generation device of the CE-marked pVNS device VIVO®, which is approved for chronic pain indications including chronic back pain. It is a battery-operated electrical stimulation device, to be placed behind the ear on the neck, and connects to three needle electrodes, which are placed in vagally innervated regions of the auricle. It emits electrical signals with a defined set of parameters, i.e., fixed pulse width, fixed frequency, fixed bursted stimulation, but with adjustable amplitude and fixed duty cycle. It is smaller and lighter than VIVO® and the stimulator is re-usable with single-use battery pack and needle electrodes. Stimulation parameters are equal to VIVO®.

  • Standard-of-Care Multimodal Pain TherapyOther

    The Standard-of-Care multimodal pain therapy includes specifically: physio group therapy, water therapy, strength training, Nordic walking, massages, thermos therapy, lectures and trainings, psychotherapy, local electrotherapy, medical evaluation

Study groups in NCT07628179
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Standard-of-Care + VIVO 2nd GENExperimentalStandard-of-Care 4-week multimodal pain therapy for chronic pain patients (this includes specifically: physio group therapy, water therapy, strength training, Nordic walking, massages, thermos therapy, lectures and trainings, psychotherapy, local electrotherapy) will be combined with the VIVO 2nd GEN wearable medical device for personalized pain treatment through percutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (paVNS).
Receives: Device: VIVO 2nd GEN; Other: Standard-of-Care Multimodal Pain Therapy
Standard-of-Care (SoC)OtherSoC multimodal therapy training (this includes specifically: physio group therapy, water therapy, strength training, Nordic walking, massages, thermos therapy, lectures and trainings, psychotherapy, local electrotherapy).
Receives: Other: Standard-of-Care Multimodal Pain Therapy

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Oswestry Disability Index (ODI)

    Questionnaire for assessing functional status and quality-of-life impairment in patients with low back pain or spinal cord disease and injury. The ODI score ranges from 0 - 100%, with higher scores indicating a more severe disability

    Measured: Change from baseline to end of treatment (visit V5) at 4 weeks

Secondary outcomes (7)
  1. Questionnaire: Patient evaluation of device perception and usability

    Patient evaluation of perception and usability of the VIVO 2nd GEN investigational medical device and the VIVO® Pal smartphone app using questionnaires.

    Patients rate agreement with statements on ease of use, tolerability, wearing comfort of the investigational medical device (e.g. "The device was easy to use", "I quickly got used to the device") on scales from 1 (does not apply at all) to 5 (fully applies). Patients rate interference of the device with everyday activities separately for each of 9 activities as "unchanged", "more difficult" and "much more difficult".

    Patients rate agreement with statements on ease of use, functionality and optic impression of the accompanying smartphone app on scales from 1 (does not apply at all) to 5 (fully applies).

    Measured: Perception and usability of the VIVO 2nd GEN device is assessed at end of treatment (EoT) at 4 weeks. Perception and usability of the VIVO® Pal smartphone app is assessed at EoT at 4 weeks and at follow ups 4 weeks, 3 months and 6 months after EoT.

  2. Questionnaire: Physicians' evaluation of device perception and usability

    Physician's evaluation of satisfaction with therapy and usability of VIVO 2nd GEN device, VIVO® Pal (smartphone app) and therapy management system (web dashboard) using questionnaires.

    Physicians rate agreement with statements application and adjustment of the device (e.g. "After training, it was easy to correctly apply the device") on scales from 1 (does not apply at all) to 5 (fully applies). Physicians rate agreement with statements on ease of use, functionality and optic impression of the accompanying smartphone app and web dashboard on scales from 1 (does not apply at all) to 5 (fully applies).

    Measured: Perception and usability of the VIVO 2nd GEN device assessed at end of treatment (EoT) at 4 weeks. Perception and usability of the VIVO® Pal smartphone app and web dashboard at EoT at 4 weeks and at follow ups 4 weeks, 3 months and 6 months after EoT.

  3. Health-related quality of life questionnaire (EQ-5D-5L)

    Health-related quality of life is reported by patients using the EuroQOL 5 dimensions, 5 levels questionnaire. The EQ-5D-5L consists of 2 pages: the EQ-5D descriptive system and the EQ visual analogue scale (EQ VAS).

    The descriptive system comprises five dimensions: mobility, self-care, usual activities, pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression. Each dimension has 5 levels: no problems, slight problems, moderate problems, severe problems and extreme problems. The patient is asked to indicate his/her health state by ticking the box next to the most appropriate statement in each of the five dimensions. This decision results in a 1-digit number that expresses the level selected for that dimension. The digits for the five dimensions can be combined into a 5-digit number that describes the patient's health state.

    On the EQ VAS, patients rate their health on a vertical visual analogue scale where endpoints are labelled 'The best health you can imagine' and 'The worst health you can imagine'.

    Measured: Change from baseline to end-of-treatment at 4 weeks and to follow up at 4 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after end-of-treatment.

  4. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)

    The HADS serves as a self-report instrument to assess anxiety and depression, particularly in medical settings. It comprises 14 items, evenly split between two subscales: seven items assessing anxiety and seven evaluating depression. Each item focuses on emotional symptoms, such as feeling tense or cheerful, using a 4-point Likert scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 3 (most of the time). Total scores range from 0 to 42, with higher scores indicating greater symptom severity.

    Measured: Change from baseline to end-of-treatment at 4 weeks and to follow up at 4 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after end-of-treatment.

  5. Numerical and qualitative pain rating scales

    Numerical and qualitative pain rating scales are used to rate pain intensity and pain quality. Pain intensity is rated at the current moment, as well as worst pain and average pain during the previous four weeks on numerical rating scales (NRS) ranging from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). Pain quality is evaluated by selecting between four categories.

    Measured: Change from baseline to end-of-treatment at 4 weeks and to follow up at 4 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after end-of-treatment.

  6. Smartphone-App Patient-Reported Outcomes

    Within the VIVO Pal smartphone applications, patients are encouraged to enter additional patient reported outcomes on overall wellbeing, sleep, mobility, and pain. These items are rated on 5-point-scales ranging from "very bad" to "very good". Patients can also enter their medication throughout the study (in addition to concomitant medication querying by the investigator at in-patient and telemedical visit).

    Measured: Throughout the clinical investigation; from baseline to follow up (up to 6 months after end of treatment)

  7. Socioeconomic Data Questionnaire

    Patients report socioeconomic data like work status (working, full time/part time, sick leave, retired, etc.)

    Measured: Change from baseline to end-of-treatment at 4 weeks and to follow up at 4 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months after end-of-treatment.

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted4 Jun 2026
  2. Study start17 Sep 2026 (estimated)
  3. Primary completion31 Mar 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completion30 Apr 2027 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
44 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07628179
Sponsor's protocol ID
SENECA
Other IDs
S2025-10
Acronym
SENECA
Status last verified
Aug 2026
First submitted
19 May 2026
Last updated
31 Aug 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing VIVO 2nd GEN and Standard-of-Care Multimodal Pain Therapy in people with Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP), run by Aurimod GmbH at 1 site in Austria.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 9 inclusion and 24 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 31 Aug 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Austria. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Stefan Kampusch, DI (+43 650 36 99 271, s.kampusch@aurimod.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) (time frame: Change from baseline to end of treatment (visit V5) at 4 weeks). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 31 Aug 2026.

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