Neck stimulation to restore breathing during opioid overdose
Official title: Transcutaneous Phrenic Nerve Stimulation for Treating Opioid Overdose
Funded at Coridea, LLC · NIH-11063619 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A portable, AED-style device that uses small neck patches to keep someone breathing when they have an opioid overdose.
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) | $149,883 |
| NIH project number | 3UH3DA058439-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11063619 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People at risk of opioid overdose or who experience opioid-induced respiratory depression would be the primary candidates for this device and related clinical studies.
✕Less likely to help
People whose breathing problems are caused by non-opioid conditions or who cannot safely use neck electrodes (for example due to neck injury or certain implants) may not benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
This project is building an Automated External Respiratory Support (AERS) device that bystanders can place on the neck to send gentle pulses to the phrenic nerve and maintain breathing during an opioid overdose. The team will design and prototype the device, optimize electrode placement and stimulation settings, and run safety and effectiveness tests in lab and clinical settings. The device is intended to be as easy to use as an AED so untrained people can help prevent brain injury from lack of oxygen until naloxone or emergency care arrives. The research includes human-focused testing steps to confirm the device keeps ventilation going and is safe for public use.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the device could save lives and reduce permanent brain injury by keeping people breathing until emergency treatment is available.
How similar studies have gone: Diaphragm and phrenic nerve stimulation have been used for chronic respiratory support, but an AED-like, transcutaneous device for opioid overdose is a novel and only partly tested application.
Where this research is happening
-
Coridea, LLC
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Levin, Howard — Coridea, LLC
- Study coordinator: Levin, Howard
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Automated External Respiratory Support for opioid overdose (AERS)
A portable device idea to help people who overdose on opioids by gently stimulating the neck to keep breathing until medical help or opioids wear off.
-
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A small, portable neuromodulation device would be tested to help people with septic shock maintain blood pressure while doctors adjust medicines.
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Neck nerve stimulation to restore breathing during opioid overdose
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.
-
Using ultrasound to treat obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
This study is testing a new, less invasive treatment for people with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (oHCM) that uses ultrasound to help reduce heart muscle blockage, making it a safer option than traditional surgery.
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.