Zeus Sleep Ltd has received £1.48 million in funding from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) to lead one of the UK’s largest multi-centre clinical trials in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
The study, led by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in collaboration with King’s College London, aims to evaluate a next-generation non-invasive medical device designed to treat sleep apnea by stimulating the airways at the source.
The funding follows new consumer research from Zeus Sleep that found 56% of adults say snoring has a significant or mild negative impact on their lives. More than a third (36%) say they are forced to sleep in a separate room or on the sofa, while 11% say persistent snoring could lead to a deterioration in their relationships.
Zeus Sleep’s first anti-snoring device is already available in the UK, helping individuals and their partners reduce nighttime disturbances. Building on this success, the company is now preparing to launch a regulated medical device for OSA in early 2026, based on the NIHR-funded trial and supported by evidence from three previous clinical trials.
OSA affects an estimated eight million people in the UK and more than a billion worldwide. The disease is characterized by repeated collapse of the airway during sleep, leading to impaired rest, excessive daytime sleepiness, increased cardiovascular risk, and a higher likelihood of accidents.
While continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy remains the NHS gold standard, more than half of patients stop treatment within a year due to discomfort or inconvenience, often leaving lifestyle advice as their only alternative.
Worn discreetly under the chin at night, the ZeusOSA device delivers gentle electrical stimulation to the hypoglossal nerve, maintaining airway patency during sleep. Unlike surgically implanted nerve stimulators, the device is non-invasive, designed for home use and significantly less expensive, making it a potentially scalable solution for NHS rollout.
Previous studies, including an NHS study in Dorset, have shown encouraging results. In these studies, 84% of participants reported improved sleep quality, 78% reported better daytime performance, and 68% reported reduced daytime sleepiness. Crucially, adherence reached 85%, far exceeding typical CPAP adherence rates.
Professor Joerg Steier, lead researcher on the new study, said: “Obstructive sleep apnea is common, but non-adherence to CPAP leaves too many patients without effective care. The Zeus device has shown promising results with good tolerability when used at home. This NIHR-funded study will provide the robust evidence needed to support NHS decision-making.”
Beyond physical health, research points to broader well-being concerns. More than a quarter of respondents (26%) worry that constant snoring will make them permanently tired, while 13% say it causes or worsens anxiety. One in ten said they would pay anything to stop snoring permanently.
Nigel Clarke, managing director of Zeus Sleep, said the funding was an important milestone. “Our consumer device is already improving lives and with the support of the NIHR and our clinical partners we can now gather the evidence needed to bring a medical version to the NHS,” he said. “Our goal is simple: to help people sleep better, feel better and live better.”
If successful, the trial could pave the way for a new era in sleep medicine, offering millions of patients a practical alternative to CPAP and reducing the long-term burden of untreated sleep apnea on the NHS.
