Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center is 1st in NJ to use SetPoint System to treat rheumatoid arthritis

SUMMIT, NJ – SEPTEMBER 2026 – Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center is the first hospital in New Jersey to use the SetPoint® System, a groundbreaking new device that uses neuromodulation to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA), one of the more common autoimmune diseases resulting in joint pain, swelling and damage, offering patients a non-medication option to treat the condition.

The SetPoint System is indicated for adults with moderately to severely active RA who do not respond to or cannot tolerate biologic or targeted RA drug therapies. The therapy offers a novel, non-pharmacological approach for patients living with RA, in which a small device is implanted to stimulate the vagus nerve, activating the body’s innate 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 Ronald Benitez, MD, Medical Director of Endovascular Neurosurgery, Atlantic Health. The treatment will now be offered in conjunction with Atlantic Health rheumatologists, including the physicians at the Institute for Rheumatic and Autoimmune Diseases (IRAD), based at Atlantic Health Overlook.

“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,” Dr. Benitez said. “It’s also a game-changer for patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.”

Rheumatologist Elliot Rosenstein, MD, one of the co-Directors of IRAD, explained that the connection between the vagus nerve and suppression of autoimmune diseases like RA is likely through stimulation of the immune functions of the spleen. The spleen, located in the left abdominal region, behind the pancreas, has long been known to act as a large filter, like a giant lymph node, for the entire circulatory system, reacting to infections in the blood. But in cases when the spleen’s function is interrupted (for instance after surgical removal), a person can become 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 FDA in 2025 and is designed to deliver one-minute daily stimulation to the vagus nerve, activating neural pathways that help regulate inflammation. Clinical data from the pivotal RESET-RA study demonstrated meaningful improvements in disease activity among patients with RA, supporting the therapy’s potential to address a significant unmet need.

“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.”

About Atlantic Health 

Atlantic Health is at the forefront of medicine, setting standards for quality health care in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and the New York metropolitan area. Powered by a workforce of 25,000 team members and more than 5,667 affiliated physicians dedicated to building healthier communities, Atlantic Health serves more than half of the state of New Jersey including 14 counties and 7.5 million people. 

The not-for-profit system offers more than 550 sites of care, including its eight hospitals: Atlantic Health Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, NJ, Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Center in Summit, NJ, Atlantic Health Newton Medical Center in Newton, NJ, Atlantic Health Chilton Medical Center in Pompton Plains, NJ, Atlantic Health Hackettstown Medical Center in Hackettstown, NJ, Atlantic Health Goryeb Children’s Hospital in Morristown, NJ, Atlantic Rehabilitation Institute in Madison, NJ and Atlantic Health CentraState Medical Center in Freehold, NJ.

The system includes Atlantic Medical Group, part of a physician enterprise that makes up one of the largest multispecialty practices in New Jersey with almost 2,000 physicians and advance practice providers. Joined with Atlantic Accountable Care Organization and Optimus Healthcare Partners they form part of Atlantic Alliance, a Clinically Integrated Network of more than 4,000 health care providers throughout northern and central NJ.

Atlantic Health provides care for the full continuum of health care needs through 26 urgent care centers, Atlantic Visiting Nurse and Atlantic Health Virtual Visits. Facilitating the connection between these services on both land and air is the transportation fleet of Atlantic Mobile Health.

Founded by Atlantic Health, the Healthcare Transformation Consortium is a partnership of seven regional hospitals and health systems dedicated to improving access and affordability. Atlantic Health has a medical school affiliation with Thomas Jefferson University, is home to the regional campus of the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Atlantic Health Morristown and Atlantic Health Overlook Medical Centers and is the official health care partner of the New York Jets.

About SetPoint® Medical

SetPoint Medical is a commercial-stage medical technology company dedicated to improving care for people living with chronic autoimmune diseases. The company’s FDA-approved SetPoint System is the first neuroimmune modulation therapy available for people living with rheumatoid arthritis, offering a novel, device-based alternative for those who do not respond to or cannot tolerate biologic or targeted drug therapies. SetPoint’s proprietary integrated neurostimulation platform is designed to activate innate anti-inflammatory pathways in the vagus nerve to reduce inflammation and restore immunologic setpoint. With a vision to redefine the care of autoimmune conditions, SetPoint is also planning to evaluate its platform technology for other conditions including multiple sclerosis and Crohn’s disease. Learn more on their website.