SUMMIT, N.J. (Union County) — Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center has become the first hospital in New Jersey to use the SetPoint System, an implanted device that uses neurostimulation to treat rheumatoid arthritis, according to Atlantic Health.
The SetPoint System is intended for adults with moderately to severely active rheumatoid arthritis who do not respond to or cannot tolerate biologic or targeted drug therapies. The treatment provides a non-medication option by using a small implanted device to stimulate the vagus nerve and activate the body’s anti-inflammatory pathways.
“Atlantic Health is consistently recognized for innovative treatments that put patients’ quality of life at the center of care,” said Saad Ehtisham, President & Chief Executive Officer, Atlantic Health. “We are thrilled to launch the SetPoint® System for patients living with rheumatoid arthritis, strengthening our commitment to improving lives and building healthier communities across New Jersey.”
The device was first implanted in a patient in February by neurosurgeon Dr. Ronald Benitez, medical director of endovascular neurosurgery at Atlantic Health. The treatment will now be offered in conjunction with Atlantic Health rheumatologists, including physicians at the Institute for Rheumatic and Autoimmune Diseases, based at Overlook Medical Center.
“SetPoint is an excellent example of how neuromodulation can unlock the ability to heal and restore patients simply by stimulating important nerves in the body,” Benitez said. “It’s also a game-changer for patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.”
Dr. Elliot Rosenstein, a rheumatologist and co-director of the Institute for Rheumatic and Autoimmune Diseases, said the connection between the vagus nerve and suppression of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis is likely related to stimulation of the spleen’s immune functions.
The spleen, located in the left abdominal region behind the pancreas, acts as a filter for the circulatory system and responds to infections in the blood. According to Atlantic Health, interruption of the spleen’s function, such as through surgical removal, can make a person susceptible to autoimmune diseases.
“While there is no direct anatomic connection between the spleen and the joints, we do know that the spleen helps to fine-tune immune responses that can affect autoimmune reactions to the tissues in joints and these can be modified by stimulating the vagus nerve,” Rosenstein said. “Vagus nerve stimulation through SetPoint has the potential to truly provide relief for people who have exhausted or are not candidates for traditional RA treatment.”
The SetPoint System was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2025 and is designed to deliver one minute of stimulation to the vagus nerve each day, activating neural pathways that help regulate inflammation.
Clinical data from the RESET-RA study showed improvements in disease activity among patients with rheumatoid arthritis, according to Atlantic Health.
“Bringing SetPoint Therapy to New Jersey marks another important step in expanding access to this novel neuroimmune approach,” said Murthy V. Simhambhatla, Ph.D., CEO of SetPoint Medical. “We are grateful to the forward-thinking neurosurgeons and rheumatologists at Atlantic Health who are advancing the standard of care for their RA patients with innovative, evidence-based treatment options.”
