Leading the Way in Medical Innovation: St. John’s Regional Medical Center is Proud to be the First in California to Offer a Revolutionary Device to Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis

This newly FDA-approved system offers a groundbreaking device for adults with RA

Ventura, CA – March 9, 2026 – With nearly 1.5 million Americans suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic, progressive inflammatory condition, Dignity Health - St. John’s Regional Medical Center (SJRMC) proudly announced it has introduced a groundbreaking, FDA-approved treatment known as the Neuroimmune Modulation - the first of its kind across all of California.

"This milestone marks a significant advancement in treating rheumatoid arthritis in adults and highlights another example of whole-person care that St. John’s provides to the Ventura community," shares Doug Kleam, Hospital President.

Dr. Akinwunmi Oni-Orisan and the surgical team successfully performed the first procedure across California this week at SJRMC to treat this debilitating autoimmune disease.

“The implementation of neuroimmune modulation is an exciting treatment approach to chronic autoimmune conditions and reflects St. John’s commitment to being at the forefront of advanced surgical technologies that better serve our communities,” says Dr. Oni-Orisan, neurosurgeon at St. John’s. 

This life-changing device is designed to deliver targeted stimulation to the left vagus nerve to activate the neural pathways that help regulate immune system activity. It is the only FDA-approved neuroimmune modulation device for adults living with moderately-to-severely active RA who are not adequately managed by – or cannot tolerate – existing advanced RA therapies, such as biological and targeted synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). Clinical outcomes that led to FDA approval of this device were recently published in Nature Medicine. 

“I’m excited that we can offer our community pioneering technology with unparalleled safety,” says Dr. Gita Fatemi, rheumatologist at St. John’s. “This approach can lead to significantly improved outcomes for one of the most life-altering autoimmune disorders - rheumatoid arthritis.” 

“We are proud to partner with St. John’s to bring neuroimmune modulation therapy to patients in California,” said Murthy Simhambhatla, CEO of SetPoint Medical, the developers of the novel neuroimmune modulation device. “As a Southern California–based company, this collaboration represents an important step in expanding access to a new therapeutic approach that targets the neural pathways controlling inflammation. Working with forward-thinking health systems like St. John’s helps accelerate our mission to transform the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and bring meaningful innovation to patients and physicians.”

If you’re living with moderate to severe RA, talk to your rheumatologist or discover the advanced treatment possibilities available at SJRMC: dignityhealth.org/stjohnsregional.

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About Dignity Health St. John’s Regional Medical Center & St. John’s Hospital Camarillo 

Dignity Health-St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard and St. John’s Hospital Camarillo in Camarillo comprise the largest non-profit acute care provider in Ventura County. Founded 110 years ago, St. John’s Hospitals are nationally recognized for quality care, safety and service. Both hospitals are supported by an active philanthropic Foundation to support new programs and services, as well as to advance the community’s access to health care. Learn more at DignityHealth.org/StJohnsRegional or DignityHealth.org/StJohnsHospitalCamarillo.

[PHOTO ABOVE:  Surgeons at St. John's Regional Medical Center]