npj Mental Health Research (Jun 2024)

Two single arm trials of AKL-T01, a digital therapeutic for adolescents and adults with ADHD

  • Caitlin A. Stamatis,
  • Deborah N. Farlow,
  • Catherine Mercaldi,
  • Minny Suh,
  • Amanda Maple,
  • Antonia Savarese,
  • Ann Childress,
  • Raun D. Melmed,
  • Scott H. Kollins

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s44184-024-00075-w
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3, no. 1
pp. 1 – 10

Abstract

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Abstract Inattention symptoms represent a key driver of functional impairment in ADHD and often persist into adolescence and adulthood, underscoring a need for novel treatments targeting attentional control. We evaluated AKL-T01—a digital therapeutic that is FDA-cleared for children 8–12 y with ADHD—in adolescents and adults with ADHD in two independent single-arm trials: STARS-ADHD-Adolescent, a 4-week trial in adolescents 13–17 y (n = 162 enrolled), and STARS-ADHD-Adult, a 6-week trial in adults 18 and older (n = 221 enrolled). AKL-T01 was linked with improvements on the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA®) Attention Comparison Score (ACS) of 2.6 (95% CI: 2.02, 3.26; p < 0.0001) in adolescents and 6.5 in adults (95% CI: 5.35, 7.57; p < 0.0001), along with improvements in secondary endpoints. 15 participants reported adverse device effects, all mild or moderate. Though limited by a single-arm design, results provide preliminary support for the safety and efficacy of AKL-T01 for adolescents and adults with ADHD.