Zeus Sleep Ltd has secured £1.48m in funding to run one of the UK’s largest clinical trials into treatments for obstructive sleep apnoea, as demand grows for alternatives to conventional therapies.

The funding, awarded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, will support a multi-centre study led by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust and King’s College London. The trial will assess the effectiveness of Zeus’s non-invasive device in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), a condition affecting an estimated 8m people in the UK.

The study follows research by the company indicating that 56 per cent of adults say snoring has a negative impact on their lives, while more than a third report being forced to sleep in separate rooms. Around one in 10 believe ongoing snoring could damage their relationship.

Zeus has already launched a consumer anti-snoring product in the UK, aimed at improving sleep quality for users and their partners. Building on this, the company plans to introduce a regulated medical device for OSA in early 2026, informed by the results of the NIHR-funded trial and earlier studies.

OSA occurs when airflow is repeatedly restricted during sleep, leading to fatigue, cardiovascular risks and higher accident rates. The National Health Service currently prescribes CPAP therapy as the standard treatment, but more than half of patients stop using it within a year because of discomfort.

Zeus’s device, known as ZeusOSA, is worn under the chin and delivers mild electrical stimulation to the hypoglossal nerve, helping to keep airways open. The company says the approach is non-invasive and easier to use than traditional equipment.

Previous trials, including a study conducted within the NHS in Dorset, showed that 84 per cent of participants reported improved sleep quality, while adherence rates reached 85 per cent — significantly higher than for CPAP.

Professor Joerg Steier, chief investigator of the new trial, said: “CPAP non-adherence leaves too many patients without effective care. This study will provide the robust evidence needed to support NHS adoption.”

Nigel Clarke, chief executive of Zeus Sleep, said the funding marked a major step forward. “Our snoring device is already improving lives,” he said. “This trial will help us bring a medical version into the NHS and support people to sleep better and live better.”

Industry observers say the trial reflects growing interest in scalable, patient-friendly technologies that could ease pressure on overstretched sleep clinics. If successful, Zeus’s approach could offer a lower-cost, more acceptable alternative for thousands of patients currently struggling with conventional treatment.