Spark Biomedical and Feinstein Institutes Publish First-in-Human Study Demonstrating Non-Invasive tAN® Technology Enhances Platelet Function

Research published in Bioelectronic Medicine shows Spark's wearable auricular neurostimulation platform can enhance the body's natural clotting ability

DALLAS, July 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Spark Biomedical today announced publication of a first-in-human study with Northwell Health's Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. The study, published in Bioelectronic Medicine, shows Spark's transcutaneous auricular neurostimulation (tAN^®) platform can safely enhance platelet function and engage neural pathways involved in clot formation.

The findings offer the first clinical evidence that non-invasive electrical nerve stimulation at the ear can enhance the body's natural clotting response, supporting Spark's Neural Tourniquet™ program and a new class of non-pharmacologic treatments for severe bleeding.

"This study marks an important milestone for bioelectronic medicine," said Navid Khodaparast, PhD, Chief Science Officer and Co-founder of Spark Biomedical. "For the first time, we have shown that Spark's core tAN^® technology can modulate neural circuits to enhance platelet readiness in humans. These findings lay the foundation for an entirely new class of therapies designed to help control bleeding in trauma, surgery, and bleeding disorders."

The study evaluated Spark's tAN^® platform, which stimulates the vagus and trigeminal nerves through the ear. Both tAN^® and transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) increased platelet function without systemic effects or hypercoagulability, with no adverse events reported.

"Spark's wearable platform offers a portable, non-invasive approach that could one day be used in trauma settings, operating rooms, and for patients with bleeding disorders," said Jared M. Huston, MD, Feinstein Institutes professor and lead investigator. "This research strengthens the scientific foundation for using targeted neurostimulation to help the body control hemorrhage."

Severe bleeding remains a leading cause of preventable death in trauma, surgery, and postpartum hemorrhage, and treatments rely on physical interventions or medications. Spark's tAN^® technology offers a different approach — using the body's neural pathways to enhance clotting on demand.

"This publication further validates the broad therapeutic potential of our tAN^® platform," said Anja Krammer, Chief Executive Officer of Spark Biomedical. "These findings begin to open exciting new frontiers beyond behavioral health and identify new molecular mechanisms where neural targets can be activated or inhibited with neuromodulation devices within the nervous and immune systems."

The full study, "Effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation or combined vagal and trigeminal nerve stimulation on platelet function and laboratory hemostasis parameters in healthy human subjects," is available in Bioelectronic Medicine.

About Spark Biomedical
Spark Biomedical is a commercial-stage medical device company advancing wearable bioelectronic therapies across three pillars: Neurohealth, Hemostasis, and Autoimmune & Inflammation. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas. www.sparkbiomedical.com.

Media Contact:
Spark Biomedical
[email protected] 

About the Feinstein Institutes
The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research is Northwell Health's research arm, New York State's largest health care provider, with 50+ research labs and 5,000 researchers across six institutes, including bioelectronic medicine, where it is a global leader. http://feinstein.northwell.edu.

Media Contact:
Julianne Mosher Allen
516-880-4824
[email protected] 

SOURCE Spark Biomedical