US Funds New Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment Research

Donation from Sally Cahill supports clinical study of nerve stimulation therapy at Karolinska Institutet.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 2:18am

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A private donation from Sally Cahill, USA, to researchers at Karolinska Institutet could make a new treatment for severe rheumatoid arthritis a reality. The method, which involves stimulating a nerve in the ear with a weak electric signal, has so far delivered promising results in a previous study.

Why it matters

Rheumatoid arthritis is an incurable, chronic inflammatory disease that can severely impact quality of life. This new non-invasive nerve stimulation therapy could provide an alternative treatment option for patients who have not responded adequately to existing drugs and therapies.

The details

The TRAVAGA clinical study, coordinated by the Department of Medicine in Solna at Karolinska Institutet, is testing whether stimulating the vagus nerve via the skin of the left outer ear can have an anti-inflammatory effect and reduce symptoms like pain and fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis patients. The study is randomized, placebo-controlled, and recruits patients who have not responded well to current treatments.

  • The study was launched in March 2026 and is expected to last two years.
  • A previous phase 3 study in the US called RESET-RA showed distinct treatment effects after the first three months.

The players

Sally Cahill

A private donor from the USA who provided a donation of almost SEK 10.8 million to support the TRAVAGA clinical study at Karolinska Institutet.

Jon Lampa

Professor of rheumatology at Karolinska Institutet and clinical manager at Karolinska University Hospital, leading the TRAVAGA study.

Karolinska Institutet

A medical university in Sweden where the TRAVAGA study is being coordinated.

Feinstein Institutes

A medical research center in New York that mediated the donation from Sally Cahill to Karolinska Institutet.

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What they’re saying

“The donation means a great deal to us and means that we can carry out this valuable study.”

— Jon Lampa, Professor of rheumatology (Mirage News)

What’s next

The TRAVAGA study is expected to last two years, after which the researchers will analyze the results to determine if the non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation therapy can effectively suppress inflammation and improve symptoms in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

The takeaway

This new research funded by a private donation represents a promising non-surgical alternative treatment approach for the millions of people living with debilitating rheumatoid arthritis, an incurable autoimmune disease. If successful, the vagus nerve stimulation therapy could provide an important new tool to manage this chronic condition.