This Drug-Free Device Combines Lasers and Electricity for Pain

As America grapples with a chronic pain crisis affecting nearly one in four adults, the search for alternatives to opioids has never been more urgent. This week at CES 2026, a Korean medical device company is introducing a platform that could offer relief without pills, injections, or surgery.

WONTECH, the laser and energy-based medical solutions company, is debuting ELLISE—a converged pain treatment system that simultaneously delivers dual-wavelength laser energy and electrical stimulation to target pain at its source. The platform represents an emerging category of non-pharmacological interventions that pain management specialists have been seeking as the opioid epidemic continues to claim lives and the FDA actively encourages development of non-opioid treatment options.

"Physicians need more alternatives to opioid medications for patients suffering from chronic pain," FDA Commissioner Marty Makary recently stated in announcing new draft guidance aimed at accelerating safe and effective non-opioid treatments. The agency's broader strategy includes facilitating development of alternatives that can reduce prescription-related opioid misuse—a need that devices like ELLISE aim to address.

How ELLISE Works

Unlike oral medications that affect the entire body or topical treatments limited to surface-level relief, ELLISE takes a targeted approach. The system delivers therapeutic energy through the subcutaneous insertion of ultra-thin optical fiber needles, allowing precise delivery to deep tissue layers where pain originates.

The dual-modality approach combines two clinically validated technologies. Low-level laser therapy has demonstrated efficacy in reducing inflammation, inducing analgesia, and promoting healing in musculoskeletal conditions, with more than 4,000 studies documented in peer-reviewed literature. Electrical nerve stimulation has similarly shown promise in pain modulation, working to inhibit pain signal transmission at the spinal cord level.

By combining these modalities simultaneously, WONTECH aims to enhance therapeutic effectiveness beyond what either technology achieves independently—a multimodal approach that aligns with current CDC clinical practice guidelines recommending combination therapies for chronic pain management.

A Company Built on Clinical Validation

WONTECH isn't a startup making bold claims without a track record. Founded in 1999, the company has spent over two decades developing laser and energy-based medical devices, earning regulatory clearances from the U.S. FDA, European CE marking, Australia TGA, and Thailand FDA. Their products are currently exported to more than 80 countries, with over 60 percent of total revenue generated from international markets.

The company holds a unique position in Korea as the only manufacturer that independently develops laser light sources and power supply systems through fully in-house processes—a vertical integration that allows precise control over therapeutic delivery parameters critical for pain treatment applications.

Their existing portfolio already includes FDA-cleared devices like PICOCARE, the first South Korean picosecond laser to receive 510(k) clearance, and Oligio, a monopolar RF system validated in peer-reviewed clinical studies published in medical journals. ELLISE builds on this foundation of optical technology expertise, now directed toward the chronic pain market.

The Bigger Picture

The timing of ELLISE's debut reflects a broader shift in pain management philosophy. According to the National Institutes of Health, multimodal management combining non-opioid medications with nonpharmacologic therapies—including exercise, physical therapy, behavioral interventions, and energy-based modalities—has become the recommended approach for chronic pain.

Neuromodulation therapies like spinal cord stimulation and peripheral nerve stimulation are already growing in popularity as drug-free approaches to chronic pain. ELLISE positions itself within this expanding category while offering a less invasive option that combines photobiomodulation with electrical stimulation in a single treatment session.

"Our participation in CES 2026 marks an important starting point for WONTECH's evolution from a medical device manufacturer into a healthcare solutions company that addresses real-world clinical challenges," a company representative shared. The statement signals ambitions extending well beyond the aesthetic medicine market where WONTECH built its reputation.

What's Next

For chronic pain sufferers and the clinicians who treat them, ELLISE represents one of several non-opioid options emerging as the medical community works to address pain without the risks of addiction and overdose. The FDA's recent approval of Journavx, the first new class of non-opioid analgesic in over two decades, underscores regulatory momentum toward alternatives—though that approval currently covers only acute pain, leaving chronic pain patients still seeking options.

Device-based approaches like ELLISE may help fill that gap, offering targeted intervention without systemic medication effects. As research continues and clinical validation expands, energy-based pain treatments could become increasingly mainstream components of comprehensive pain management protocols.

📍WONTECH is showcasing ELLISE at CES 2026 in the Venetian Expo, Lifestyle Hall, Booth #55342, January 6-9, 2025.