# Delivery System to Increase Adherence to Myofunctional Therapy Protocol

> **NIH NIH R43** · INNOVATIVE DESIGN LABS, INC. · 2020 · $244,863

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
The proposed project focuses on creating a delivery method for myofunctional therapy that is designed to
increase user engagement and adherence to the therapy protocol. Significance: Sleep apnea affects 22
million people in the U.S. and 80% of the individuals who suffer from moderate or Severe Obstructive Sleep
Apnea have not received diagnosis or treatment. The economic impact of untreated sleep apnea is nearly
$150 billion. Common treatments such as CPAP devices, dental appliances, and surgical interventions are
expensive, uncomfortable, or invasive, resulting in large number of untreated individuals even when there is a
proper diagnosis. Myofunctional therapies have been proven to be an effective co-therapy to improve existing
treatments for sleep apnea and an effective alternative method for treating sleep apnea when uncomfortable
devices or invasive procedures are not tolerated by the patient. However, access to myofunctional therapy is
limited to guided therapy sessions by specialists and the adherence to the myofunctional therapy protocol in an
unguided setting can be difficult. Healthcare systems are increasingly delivering therapies through smartphone
applications in order to improve access and adherence. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that myofunctional
therapies can be delivered through an interactive smartphone application with reasonable adherence rates.
Specific Aims: To prove feasibility of the proposed system in Phase I, IDL and its collaborators will: (1)
Develop a gamified myofunctional therapy protocol effective for OSA treatment (2) Develop an interactive
therapy delivery system and (3) Test the adherence to the protocol while using the developed system.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10010978
- **Project number:** 1R43HL152948-01
- **Recipient organization:** INNOVATIVE DESIGN LABS, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** John Paul Condon
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $244,863
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-07-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10010978

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10010978, Delivery System to Increase Adherence to Myofunctional Therapy Protocol (1R43HL152948-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10010978. Licensed CC0.

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