Neck nerve stimulation to restore breathing during opioid overdose
Official title: Transcutaneous Phrenic Nerve Stimulation for Treating Opioid Overdose
Funded at Coridea, LLC · NIH-11343825 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project is creating a portable AED-like device that uses neck electrode patches to stimulate the phrenic nerve and keep people breathing during an opioid overdose until help arrives.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Coridea, LLC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $2,544,126 |
| NIH project number | 4UH3DA058439-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11343825 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people at high risk of opioid overdose or patients who have experienced opioid-induced respiratory depression and can be enrolled in device testing or monitoring protocols.
✕Less likely to help
People whose breathing problems are not caused by opioids, or who have contraindications such as neck injuries, implanted neck devices, or unstable cardiac conditions, may not benefit.
What this research studies
If I or someone near me stops breathing from an opioid overdose, the team is building a small, portable device that a bystander could place on the neck to stimulate the phrenic nerve and drive the diaphragm. The device is meant to work like an AED so untrained people can use it to maintain ventilation until naloxone or emergency care arrives. Researchers will design and test prototypes, perform safety testing, and then move toward clinical testing and community deployment. The goal is a rugged, easy-to-use tool that can be placed in public areas alongside other life-saving equipment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could keep people breathing long enough to prevent hypoxic brain injury and deaths from opioid overdose.
How similar studies have gone: Phrenic nerve stimulation has restored breathing in controlled clinical settings before, but using a public AED-like device for opioid overdoses is a new, largely untested approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Coridea, LLC
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Levin, Howard — Coridea, LLC
- Study coordinator: Levin, Howard
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.