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Obstructive Sleep ApneaTESLA-MICRONNCT07343362

Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

A study testing ZeusOSA and CPAP in people with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, run by Zeus Sleep Ltd.

Not yet recruiting

Opening soon. The study is approved but enrolment has not started yet. Sites may already take enquiries.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

The objective of this trial is to assess efficacy and compliance of transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the upper airway dilator muscles in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (TESLA) who do not tolerate continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy over a period of 3-months in the community and compare… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older
Conditions the study is for
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
What is being tested?
ZeusOSA and CPAP
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
186 participants
Where
No sites listed yet
Study dates
30 Sep 2026to Sep 2028
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Adult participants (≥18 years) who have OSA with an AHI between 5-40 events/hour, as measured by the baseline sleep study (3 nights off CPAP).
  • If the participant fails to use CPAP sufficiently, defined as use of CPAP for less than 4 hours/night on fewer than 70% of nights over a minimum period of 3 months prior to enrolment.
  • Adults with a body mass index (BMI) of 18.5-32.0 kg/m2 (inclusive)
  • Adults without significant anatomical obstruction in the upper airway (e.g., normal sized tonsils).
  • Able and willing to provide informed written consent.
  • Access to a smartphone and internet at home.

Who cannot join

  • Hypercapnic patients (pCO2>6.0 kPa) or those with other features of obesity hypoventilation syndrome (elevated bicarbonate, HCO3- >28mmol/L).
  • Adults with significantly enlarged tonsils (size 3-4)
  • Adults with polyps or adenoids, hypoglossal nerve palsy,
  • Adults with notable medical co-morbidities that could potentially impact participation in or the achievement of the study's objectives (e.g., significant heart failure (New York Heart Association, NYHA class III-IV), recent myocardial infarction (within 3 months) and significant cardiac arrhythmias, uncontrolled hypertension).
  • Participants with an active psychiatric condition that, in the opinion of the Investigator, may affect the participant's capacity to provide informed consent, adhere to study procedures, actively participate in the study, or compromise the integrity of study data.
  • Participants with active implantable medical devices, including but not limited to cardiac pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs), cochlear implants, deep brain stimulation (DBS) systems, vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) devices, neurostimulators, or implanted infusion pumps.
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  • Participants with metallic implants in the head or neck region that, in the opinion of the Investigator, may interfere with the safe use of the investigational device.
  • Participants who are physically incapacitated such as to manoeuvre the ZeusOSA device
  • Adults with long facial hair that interferes with the correct placement of the hydrogel pad, and who are unwilling to shave.
  • Participants with an allergy to plasters or similar products.

Trial locations and contacts

No sites are listed yet. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Salma Ayyis, PhD contact

+442071882823 ext. x82821

About this study

Official title: Zeus Sleep Technology: A UK-based Multi-centre Randomised Controlled Trial Using Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (TESLA)

The objective of this trial is to assess efficacy and compliance of transcutaneous electrical stimulation of the upper airway dilator muscles in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (TESLA) who do not tolerate continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy over a period of 3-months in the community and compare results against usual care (ongoing CPAP therapy), evaluate acceptability, comfort and adverse events, and record outcomes for provision of the health economics analysis. The proposed study will provide us with data about the efficacy of the domiciliary use of the intervention from a UK-based prospective, multi-centre and randomised controlled trial (Phase III). We will understand whether the primary outcome parameter, the apnoea hypopnea index (AHI), or the secondary outcomes (e.g. 4% oxygen desaturation index (ODI), the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS), compliance and comfort, Functional Outcome of Sleep Questionnaires (FOSQ), European Quality of Life Questionnaire (EQ-5D)) are suitable measures to assess control of OSA using TESLA within reasonable acceptance for the patients to provide the analysis of healthcare resource usage for assessment of cost-efficacy and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Responder analysis will provide insights into gender, socio-economic background and endotypes to predict who most suitably benefits from this treatment.

Read the detailed description

The TESLA-MICRON study is a UK-based, prospective, multi-centre, randomised controlled trial designed to evaluate the use of an investigational medical device, ZeusOSA, for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea in adults with poor adherence to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.

ZeusOSA uses gentle stimulation through the skin similar to that of a TENS machine. The device features a U-shaped lightweight silicone pad with a disposable adhesive hydrogel electrode pad (single-use) that delivers mild transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) to activate the hypoglossal nerve, thereby stimulating muscles to contract, particularly those associated with opening the airways (e.g., genioglossus muscle). Application of regular electrical pulses to these muscles help to maintain an open airway. The upper airway muscles might otherwise relax with sleep onset and cause vibrations and collapse in the throat whilst breathing, manifesting as snoring or sleep apnoea's or hypopneas. The stimulation level is customisable from level 1 (milder stimulation) to level 10 (stronger stimulation).

186 participants will be recruited with a prior diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea and low CPAP adherence at follow up (less than 4 hours/night) will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the intervention group or a usual care group. Recruitment will focus on a balanced ratio of men and women, as women are typically under-represented in studies of OSA and, due to a slim neck / collar size in comparison to men, likely to be responders to the TESLA treatment. Participants allocated to the intervention group will use the investigational medical device, ZeusOSA, which delivers transcutaneous electrical stimulation to the upper airway dilator muscles during sleep. The device is intended for nightly use at home over a three-month period. Participants in the usual care group will continue with ongoing CPAP therapy in accordance with current clinical practice.

All participants will undergo baseline assessments prior to randomisation, including a home-based sleep study conducted without treatment. Follow-up will include a scheduled telephone contact at approximately six weeks and a repeat assessment at three months, including a further home-based sleep study conducted with the assigned treatment and receive standard advice on sleep hygiene and lifestyle measures. The patients will then be referred for follow up to standard care in the outpatient setting at their respective sleep centre. The trial duration including recruitment is 3 years.

The study will assess the therapeutic effects of the investigational medical device on sleep-related outcomes and symptoms, as well as participant-reported quality of life. Additional objectives include evaluation of treatment adherence, comfort and acceptability of use, and monitoring of adverse events. Data collected during the study will also be used to support an assessment of healthcare resource use associated with the intervention.

The study is designed to reflect real-world use of the investigational medical device in a domiciliary setting and to identify patient characteristics associated with response to treatment. Results from this trial will inform the future clinical and regulatory development of the device for the management of obstructive sleep apnoea.

Being tested
ZeusOSA, CPAP
Keywords
CPAP, Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation, non-CPAP therapy, sleep-disordered breathing, TESLA-MICRON, Zeus Sleep Technology, transcutaneous electrical stimulation, Zeus Sleep Ltd
Medical subject headings
Sleep Apnea, Obstructive, Sleep Apnea Syndromes

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • ZeusOSADevice

    Transcutaneous electrical stimulation in sleep apnoea (TESLA) in the submittal area, provided by the ZeusSleep device when asleep.

  • CPAPDevice

    Continous positive airway pressure (CPAP) when asleep

Study groups in NCT07343362
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Usual CareActive comparatorContinuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
Receives: Device: CPAP
InterventionExperimentalTranscutaneous Electrical Stimulation (ZeusOSA)
Receives: Device: ZeusOSA

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Apnea-hypopnea-index (AHI)

    Number of respiratory events per hour measured by home-based sleep study.

    Measured: Baseline to 3 months

Secondary outcomes (9)
  1. Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS)

    Daytime sleepiness measured using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (score range 0-24, with higher scores indicating greater sleepiness).

    Measured: Baseline to 3 months

  2. EQ-5D Index Score

    Health-related quality of life measured using the EQ-5D descriptive system (index score 0-1).

    Measured: Baseline to 3 months

  3. EQ-5D Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) Score

    Self-rated health measured using the EQ-5D visual analogue scale (0-100, with higher scores indicating better perceived health).

    Measured: Baseline to 3 months

  4. Functional Outcome of Sleep Questionnaire (FOSQ-10) Score

    Sleep-related functional status measured using the FOSQ-10, with higher scores indicating better functional outcomes.

    Measured: Baseline to 3 months

  5. Snoring Duration

    Total duration of snoring measured during sleep, expressed in minutes.

    Measured: Baseline to 3 months

  6. Snoring Intensity

    Average snoring intensity measured in decibels during sleep.

    Measured: Baseline to 3 months

  7. Adherence Average hours/night

    Average nightly usage (hours) of the assigned treatment.

    Measured: Baseline to 3 months

  8. Adherence - Percentage of Nights Used

    Percentage of nights the assigned treatment was used during the study period.

    Measured: Baseline to 3 months

  9. 4% ODI (Oxygen Desaturation Index)

    ODI refers to the average number of desaturation episodes occurring per hour, where desaturation episodes are defined as a decrease in the mean oxygen saturation of ≥ 4% (over the last 120 seconds) that lasts for at least 10 seconds.

    Measured: Baseline to 3 months

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted15 Jan 2026
  2. Study start30 Sep 2026 (estimated)
  3. Primary completion31 Jan 2028 (estimated)
  4. Study completionSep 2028 (estimated)

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Model description
Two-group, parallel, interventional randomized controlled trial Sample Size Calculation The sample size estimates were based on the previous trial by Ratneswaran et al. 2023 (eClinMed) where the primary outcome was change in mean apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) at 3-months between two trial arms. The difference adjusted for the baseline value was -7.0 (95% CI: -15.7;1.8), and the common standard deviation within group was 18. Using these estimates for an analysis of covariance, sample sizes of 74, and 74 are required from each of the 2 trial groups whose means are to be compared. The covariate was assumed to have an R-squared of 0.30. The total sample of 148 subjects achieves 80% power to detect the differences described by Ratneswaran between the two means, with 0.05 00 significance level. Allowing for 20% dropout the sample required is 186 participants in the two groups.
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
186 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07343362
Sponsor's protocol ID
ZEUSi4i-1.0-03/12/25
Other IDs
NIHR209411
Acronym
TESLA-MICRON
Status last verified
Sep 2026
First submitted
17 Dec 2025
Last updated
22 Sep 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Undecided: Pending ethics approval and medio-legal framework (GDPR)

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing ZeusOSA and CPAP in people with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, run by Zeus Sleep Ltd.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 10 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 22 Sep 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

Contact Nigel Clarke, CEO (+442071883434 ext. x83435, support@zeussleeps.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Apnea-hypopnea-index (AHI) (time frame: Baseline to 3 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 22 Sep 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 26 Oct 2026.

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