# Development of the Strength Band Platform, a Technology Assisted Therapy Platform to Aid with Opioid Abuse Treatment.

> **NIH NIH R43** · OPIAID, INC. · 2021 · $55,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Opioid overdose rates have risen six-fold since the late 1990s and presently claim the lives of over 130
Americans each day. Amongst treatment options for opioid dependence, medication-assisted treatment
(MAT) with opioid substitutes, such as methadone or buprenorphine maintenance, are the only
treatments for which effectiveness has been confirmed by empirical study. While methadone
maintenance is effective for reducing mortality over the course of treatment, individuals remain at
significant risk of overdose death during the initial phase of treatment (methadone induction). On the
other hand, although buprenorphine has lower risk of mortality, it is associated with greater risk of
withdrawal and relapse. Therefore, patient monitoring is critical for effective MAT, improved treatment
retention and reduced likelihood of overdose death. Yet, MAT is most commonly administered on an
outpatient basis, limiting the time periods during which the patient can be actively assessed. OpiAID is
developing the Strength Band Platform, a wearable device featuring a multi-sensor array and artificial
intelligence to facilitate patient monitoring during MAT for opioid use disorder. This device will provide
an expanded range of biometric variables enabling prediction of opioid use and withdrawal in real world
settings. Real-time monitoring of patients will allow appropriate and timely interventions, directly
improving the outcomes for the patients undergoing the treatment. There are currently no FDA
approved, commercially available, wearable products for monitoring opioid use in real world settings.
This Phase I SBIR program consists of two Specific Aims designed to develop the Strength Band Platform
using a commercially available clinically validated armband. The first Specific Aim is to collect biometric
variables from patients and develop prediction algorithms through supervised learning. In the second
Specific Aim, barriers to end-user adoption, compliance and social stigma will be identified through
focus groups and solutions based on the feedback will be incorporated into development frameworks.
Completion of this Phase I project will produce a proof-of-concept platform which will undergo further
development and evaluation for commercialization. Phase II research will focus on developing fully
functional user and practitioner interfaces and completing multi-region clinical trials to demonstrate
efficacy and effectiveness of the platform for improving patient outcomes. OpiAID will leverage
extensive partnerships in the opioid dependence treatment community in Wilmington, NC to evaluate
performance of the device and complete the clinical trials. Ultimately, identifying periods of increased
risk of relapse will allow provision of just-in-time interventions.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10339121
- **Project number:** 3R43DA050399-01A1S1
- **Recipient organization:** OPIAID, INC.
- **Principal Investigator:** Mary Beth Bobek
- **Activity code:** R43 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $55,000
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2020-09-15 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10339121

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10339121, Development of the Strength Band Platform, a Technology Assisted Therapy Platform to Aid with Opioid Abuse Treatment. (3R43DA050399-01A1S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10339121. Licensed CC0.

---

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