# Closed-Loop Micromagnetic Neuromodulation as a Non-Opioid Treatment for Neuropathic Pain.

> **NIH NIH R43** · QUANTUM NANOSTIM · 2021 · $500,000

## Abstract

In this SBIR Phase I proposal, Quantum NanoStim will develop a Closed Loop Omnidirectional Neuromodulation
with Electromagnetic fields (CLONE) system to provide improved pain relief with greater specificity for those
suffering from chronic neuropathic pain and opioid dependence. Chronic neck and low back pain accounts for
the third highest amount of US health care spending (estimated $88 billion). Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has
provided pain relief for 60% of those with chronic pain and eliminated opioid use entirely in more than 50%. One
of the leading barriers to the traditional SCS is encapsulation of the electrodes by glial cells, referred to as glial
encapsulation or glial scar (gliosis). Several studies have shown advantages of magnetic-based
neuromodulation relative to traditional electrical stimulation, including: (a) the magnetic field is not affected by
glial encapsulation, (b) depolarization of the targeted neurons can occur from a greater distance more
consistently, (c) magnetic stimulation affords high orientation specificity, and (d) increased battery life due to
decreased implantable pulse generator (IPG) energy consumption. Magnetic stimulation can be used in
combination with traditional SCS to form new hybrid waveforms. However, there are no current commercial
devices that utilize this form of treatment. This modality is needed to advance the field of neuromodulation. The
CLONE array will provide an ultra-thin and conformal blanket of stimulation contacts across the entire width of
the dorsal spinal surface. A novel Active-Lead Controller Implantable Pulse Generator (AL-IPG) powers the chip
safely, synchronizes with the active-lead electronics, configures the 10 programmable “therapy groups”, and
ensures therapy pulses are delivered to the tissue. The CLONE system is a novel solution for the treatment of
patients suffering from chronic pain and opioids. In this Phase I we will perform key development steps and
demonstrate safety and feasibility, positioning us for completion of development and verification and validation
during Phase II.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10139200
- **Project number:** 1R43NS120335-01
- **Recipient organization:** QUANTUM NANOSTIM
- **Principal Investigator:** Thomas Reilly
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $500,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2021-09-01 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10139200

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10139200, Closed-Loop Micromagnetic Neuromodulation as a Non-Opioid Treatment for Neuropathic Pain. (1R43NS120335-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10139200. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*