Propeller Health and Novartis Partner to Develop Smart Inhaler Sensors for COPD Treatment

Propeller Health is a company that provides respiratory health management solutions. It offers a mobile platform comprising sensors, a mobile application, analytics, and services to support respiratory health management.

Propeller’s smart sensors enable continuous tracking of medication use by recording the time and location of inhaler usage. The sensor is a compact device that attaches to the top of existing inhalers. By collecting objective data and providing feedback through software, it helps patients better understand and manage asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Recently, Propeller and Novartis Pharmaceuticals established a partnership to co-develop custom smart sensors for the Breezhaler series of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) medications—Ultibro Breezhaler, Onbrez Breezhaler, and Seebri Breezhaler—and to integrate these therapies into Propeller’s digital health platform in Europe.

This marks Novartis as the fifth pharmaceutical company to partner with Propeller, which also collaborates with Boehringer Ingelheim and GlaxoSmithKline. By establishing partnerships with the top three pharmaceutical companies in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), Propeller has strengthened its position as the leading platform in the field of respiratory digital health.

“Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease” (COPD) is a highly disabling condition (characterized by dyspnea leading to loss of ability to perform daily activities), with main symptoms including cough, sputum production, and dyspnea. COPD currently ranks as the fourth leading cause of death globally; due to the high cost of medications, it is projected to rank fifth in terms of global disease burden by 2020. In China, the prevalence among individuals aged over 40 is approximately 8.2%, with the rate among men reaching as high as 12.4%. Based on these estimates, the number of COPD patients in China has approached 50 million.

Pharmacotherapy for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is critical and has become a key focus in respiratory disease research. However, COPD medications are expensive, leading many patients to seek medical attention only when their condition worsens and to discontinue treatment abruptly once symptoms alleviate. This recurrent pattern results in progressive decline in lung function and increasing therapeutic challenges, creating a vicious cycle. The only way to break this cycle is to prioritize the management of COPD during its stable phase, as most exacerbations can be prevented through appropriate care. Currently, 60% of asthma patients still lack adequate disease control; therefore, data on medication usage and frequency among COPD patients are of great importance to clinicians.

Patients use the Breezhaler smart inhaler during medication administration. The sensor records the time, frequency, and volume of each inhalation, transmitting the data to a mobile app via Bluetooth. In this way, Propeller’s intelligent big-data platform can deliver smart interventions to remind patients and improve medication adherence.

“We are delighted to partner with Novartis to connect the Breezhaler device to the Propeller platform. This specialized portfolio of respiratory medications represents a valuable solution we will bring to patients’ respiratory care in the near future,” said David Van Sickle, CEO of Propeller. “Through these medication sensors and data, Propeller will strengthen the relationship between patients and physicians, helping them collaboratively develop effective treatment plans.”

Van Scikle believes that the digitalization of respiratory pharmaceuticals is progressing rapidly, driven by the very low medication adherence rates among patients with respiratory diseases. Propeller aims to have its smart devices used with all inhaled medications, thereby establishing a comprehensive digital health platform for respiratory care.

Propeller Health was founded in 2010 and has completed five rounds of financing, raising a total of $49.87 million. In 2015, Propeller was named by VCBeat as one of the top 30 most noteworthy digital health companies. On June 25, 2012, Propeller secured $1.9 million in debt financing. On April 1, 2013, it raised $7 million in seed funding. On April 5, 2013, it obtained $5 million in Series A financing from The Social Capital Partnership. On September 4, 2014, it raised $14.5 million in Series B financing from The Social Capital Partnership and Safeguard Scientifics. Its most recent financing round occurred in October 2016, when 3M New Ventures, Hikma Ventures, The Social Capital Partnership, Safeguard Scientifics, and SR One collectively invested $21.5 million.

To date, the company has signed contracts for 45 projects, including those in the healthcare sector with Dignity Health, Molina, and Nemours Children’s Health System.

News Sources: MobiHealthNews, HIT Consultant