Sonara Health Continues Expansion of Remote Methadone Treatment With $2.5M Grant From NIDA

$2.5 million dollar NIDA grant will fund second phase of study to evaluate treatment retention, cost and effectiveness of Sonara's remote methadone treatment

DALLAS, Oct. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Sonara Health, a leading innovator in remote methadone treatment, is capping off a year of significant growth with a $2.5M grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). This funding will help Sonara further its mission to support OTP patients with a remote dosing solution that simplifies adherence to methadone treatment programs.

This is the company's second NIDA grant of the 2024 fiscal year. Recently, Sonara's advocacy efforts also resulted in the state of New Jersey allocating funding in its FY25 budget to support a remote observation pilot program for take-home methadone. These initiatives mark significant achievement, as the company continues to expand its presence in remote methadone treatment. 

"Securing the NIDA grant and expanding our services in New Jersey brings us one step closer to our mission of supporting Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) patients through advanced technology," said Michael Giles, MD, founder and CEO of Sonara. "We are committed to continuing our efforts to improve patient outcomes and foster trust between patients and their care teams."

The $2.5 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant awarded by NIDA will fund the second phase of Sonara's Remote Observed Methadone Evaluation (ROME) study. Phase I successfully integrated a measurement-based care (MBC) tool into Sonara's web-based app and demonstrated the feasibility of the approach.

Phase II, which launched on October 7, 2024, will utilize a randomized design to:

1. Assess Sonara's impact on treatment retention and opioid use
2. Evaluate the effectiveness of the MBC tool
3. Test the influence of Sonara on patient, program, and payer costs, as well as health-related quality of life

Collaborators in this study include Chestnut Health Systems and Family Guidance, Inc.

Since launching in 2020, Sonara has expanded from 10 to over 40 locations across 11 states, marking a 30x increase in revenue and dramatically increasing patient access to take-home medication. This growth reflects Sonara's commitment to addressing the opioid crisis through innovative solutions and effective policy initiatives.

Most recently, the State of New Jersey allocated funding in its FY25 budget for Sonara to support a remote observation pilot program for take-home methadone. Sponsored by Assemblyman William F. Moen Jr., this initiative aims to increase equitable access to take-home methadone, demonstrating its clinical and cost-effectiveness and improving patient satisfaction. 

"The inclusion of this pilot program in New Jersey's budget underscores our commitment to adopting innovative solutions that provide equitable access to treatment for all residents affected by the opioid epidemic," said Assemblyman William F. Moen Jr.

Sonara will administer this program in partnership with the NJ Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence and various OTPs across the state.

"Outpatient clinics usually dispense methadone over a few hours time span. Allowing residents to have increased access to their medicine with remote therapeutic monitoring allows them to have more time to focus on their recovery," said Senator Nilsa Cruz-Perez, who co-sponsored the budget resolution. 

Sonara is dedicated to reducing barriers to treatment and enhancing the virtual dosing workflow. Future plans include integrating remote intakes, tele-counseling, and generative AI to support comprehensive virtual care for patients with opioid use disorder.

About Sonara Health: Sonara Health® is dedicated to supporting OTP patients with a remote dosing solution that simplifies adherence to methadone treatment programs. The patented Virtual Dosing Window™ allows patients to record their take-home doses via a phone or computer, providing care teams with real-time insights to make informed treatment decisions. By increasing the likelihood of earning more take-home doses, Sonara improves program retention rates and enhances the quality of care. For more information about Sonara and its innovative solutions, visit sonarahealth.com.

About the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): NIDA is a component of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIDA supports most of the world's research on the health aspects of drug use and addiction. The Institute carries out a large variety of programs to inform policy, improve practice, and advance addiction science. For more information about NIDA and its programs, visit www.nida.nih.gov.

SOURCE Sonara Health