UnityPhilly: A citywide smartphone app to connect people for naloxone and overdose reversal
Official title: UnityPhilly Response App for Overdose Reversal: Assessing Citywide Effectiveness and Sustainability
Funded at Drexel University · NIH-11394312 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A citywide smartphone app helps bystanders and victims connect quickly to neighbors who can provide naloxone during opioid overdoses in Philadelphia.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Drexel University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,067,187 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA055851-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11394312 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants include people at risk of opioid overdose, bystanders, and community responders who may use or be connected to the UnityPhilly app.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not at risk of overdose or not using or exposed to the app may not benefit.
What this research studies
This grant supports expanding a mobile app called UnityPhilly that links bystanders, responders, and overdose victims to nearby people who can provide naloxone and urgent help. The project will test the app across Philadelphia to see how usable it is, how reliably it connects responders, and how sustainable the approach is in real-world settings. Researchers will collect data from participants and use cases to understand what helps or hinders rapid overdose reversals and how the system can be kept going over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the app could reduce overdose deaths by speeding access to naloxone and coordinating immediate local help.
How similar studies have gone: Prior feasibility work showed potential for overdose reversal using a similar app approach, now scaled for citywide deployment.
Where this research is happening
-
Drexel University
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lankenau, Stephen E — Drexel University
- Study coordinator: Lankenau, Stephen E
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.