It seems that every day we’re reading about giant strides being made in the science of addiction recovery. We have reported here on the investment boom in mHealth and TeleHealth tools for addiction treatment from firms such as Boulder Care, Pelago, and Wayspring. We have reported on new studies using fMRI brain scans to track the impacts of opioids and withdrawal drugs on the brain’s reward systems. And we’ve reported on gene therapy and the prospect of personalized drugs for substance use disorders.

Today, we’re going to take a look at some fascinating new methods for dealing with substance use disorders. We start with an article from IEEE Spectrum, the bulletin of the Institute of Electronics and Electronics Engineers, concerning tech startups in addiction recovery.

First up is OpiAID, a company headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina, which makes wearable technology that monitors a variety of patient vital statistics in order to make recommendations for dosage modifications and other interventions. “OpiAID utilizes advanced AI algorithms to analyze raw biometric data, providing clinicians with quantifiable insights into withdrawal symptoms,” the company’s website says.

It is unclear whether OpiAID’s remote monitoring devices have the capability to detect substance use, medication compliance, or medication levels. Clearly, a program that allows for remote monitoring of compliance with a treatment regimen would be a boon for the recovery industry. Theoretically, court-ordered treatment programs could be remotely monitored, greatly expanding the ease and convenience of administering drug treatment programs.

Next up is Celero Systems, a company that is designing ingestible devices for drug monitoring and delivery. The size of a large pill, these devices are being engineered to stay inside the body for up to a week before being passed naturally. Celero is working on an ingestible device that will:

[R]elease an opioid antagonist after detecting respiratory depression. Benjamin Pless, Celero’s CEO, says the team has successfully demonstrated the delivery of nalmefene, an opioid antagonist similar to Narcan, to rapidly reverse overdoses.

Imagine someone in the emergency room for an overdose, and instead of being treated with Narcan and sent back onto the streets, they’re treated with Narcan and given a pill that administers suboxone for a week. That’s enough time to get established in a treatment program, one that theoretically could remotely monitor substance use, medication levels, vital signs, and remotely administer medication. Wow!

Rescue Biomedical, a startup out of Purdue University, has also developed a remote-control drug delivery capsule connected to a biometric wristband that is designed to detect an opioid overdose, trip an alarm, and release an antidote. Again, wow!

These aren’t the only wearable SUD recovery devices. Nerve stimulators are worn over the ear, like hearing aids, and “send electrical pulses to block pain signals and relieve withdrawal symptoms like anxiety and nausea,” according to IEEE Spectrum. DyAnsys, Inc., has gotten FDA approval for its Drug Relief neurostimulator that provides up to five days of therapy for opioid use disorder withdrawal symptoms. The company says some patients feel relief in as little as 30 minutes after putting the device on.

Another one of the tech startups in addiction treatment has been at it for quite some time, actually. NetRecovery began experimenting with neurotransmitters 50 years ago, before two double-blind, randomized trials led to FDA approval for the NETNeuro device in 2023. According to a fascinating video which shows the device in use, NETNeuro stimulation “allows the brain to restart producing its own dopamine and serotonin without the need for drugs.”

Spark Biomedical, a tech startup in addiction treatment, has a wearable with the lofty name of Sparrow Ascent, “a patient-administered wearable device that delivers mild electrical stimulation to the cranial branches of the vagus and trigeminal nerves on and around the ear.” I’m sure it was music to Spark’s ears to learn in February they received a $2.1 million NIDA grant in conjunction with the University of Cincinnati’s Center for Addiction Research.

The NIDA grant is to test Sparrow Ascent to see if it improves medication-assisted treatment (MAT) compliance for patients recovering from opioid use disorder. In a fascinating paragraph deep into a news release on the grant, Spark’s chief science officer, Navid Khodaparast, Ph.D., shares some interesting remarks about the relationship between stress and opioid addiction:

Autonomic imbalance is a common occurrence in PTSD, which is characterized by experiencing high sympathetic drive (“fight or flight”) and low parasympathetic drive (“rest and digest”). Additionally, PTSD sufferers experience lower levels of endorphin production which can lead to emotional distress. In this study, we believe [Sparrow Ascent] will improve these PTSD symptoms, and ultimately help maintain long-term buprenorphine treatment.

Another study taking place is the BrainWeighve app from eHealth International, publisher of AddictionNews. BrainWeighve is a self-directed weight loss application that works on the premise of relieving urges and cravings by programming healthier ways to displace stress. BrainWeighve and UCLA are recruiting for a trial of the weight loss app in the Los Angeles area right now. 

Next up on AddictionNews, we’ll review apps that are being used in the treatment of substance use disorders.

Written by Steve O’Keefe. First published August 15, 2024.

Sources:

“Startups Launch Life-Saving Tech for the Opioid Crisis,” IEEE Spectrum, August 8, 2024.

“FDA Okays Wearable Device for Opioid Withdrawal,” Medscape Medical News,

June 13, 2018.

“University of Cincinnati, Spark Biomedical trial aims to increase treatment retention for patients with opioid use disorder and PTSD,” EurekAlert!, February 6, 2024.

“Isaiah House offers FDA-approved opioid treatment devices,” LEX 18, June 26, 2024.

Image Copyright: Airman Magazine, used under Creative Commons license.