13 Must-Know Digital Health Highlights from Q1 2016: Innovations, Partnerships, and Product Launches

“World affairs: after a long period of unity, there will be division; after a long period of division, there will be unity.” Recently, AstraZeneca, a global leader in biopharmaceuticals, signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Chunyu Yisheng, a leading enterprise under China Mobile. It has become an undeniable fact that global pharmaceutical companies are actively partnering with internet healthcare platforms. To help everyone gain a comprehensive understanding of the digital healthcare industry, VCBeat’s diligent team has once again stepped forward to compile the 13 must-know events in digital healthcare for the first quarter of 2016:

1) On January 8, Novartis, one of the world’s three largest pharmaceutical companies, announced a collaboration with Qualcomm Life, a subsidiary of Qualcomm, to develop a new inhaler for patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Novartis will incorporate Qualcomm Life’s connectivity solutions into its next-generation connected Breezhaler product. The Breezhaler is an inhaler within Novartis’s COPD portfolio. Qualcomm Life will provide reference designs to connect the Breezhaler to its platform, which will collect data on inhaler usage, including metrics on inhaled dosage that reflect the quality of medication delivery.



2) On January 20, Reuters cited a Bloomberg report stating that pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline is in discussions with chipmaker Qualcomm on establishing a joint venture to explore pathways for developing medical technologies. The Financial Times added that the joint venture would be valued at $1 billion.



3) On February 8, Novartis signed agreements with two major insurers, Cigna Group and Aetna, to price its new heart failure drug, Entresto, based on its therapeutic efficacy. Although Novartis had planned to incorporate digital health devices into the initial launch of Entresto last year, the newly signed agreement does not mention the inclusion of electronic medical tools in the treatment regimen.



4) In February, Microsoft Research partnered with Novartis to launch the Assess MS project, which leverages Kinect motion-sensing devices and machine learning technology to precisely quantify disease progression, thereby aiding in the treatment of multiple sclerosis.



5) In February, Grey Health Group, a wholly-owned healthcare subsidiary of WPP, the world’s largest communications group, acquired The Lathe, a mobile application development company specializing in the healthcare sector.



6) On February 26, the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand announced the establishment of a multinational clinical research project, Novel START, utilizing Adherium’s mobile inhaler. In addition to New Zealand, other study sites will be located in Australia, the United Kingdom, and Italy.



7) In March, WellDoc, the pioneer of mobile health, announced a partnership with Johnson & Johnson’s LifeScan blood glucose meters and simultaneously secured $7.5 million in Series B financing. To date, WellDoc’s total funding has reached $29.5 million.



8) In March, Quintiles, the world’s largest contract research organization (CRO), announced the appointment of Dave Tripi as Vice President of Global Operations. Previously, Tripi had spent 20 years working at a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson.



9) In March, AiCure, a company leveraging artificial intelligence solutions to enhance healthcare services, announced a $12.25 million financing round led by New Leaf Venture Partners, with participation from Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Tribeca Venture Partners, and Biomatics Capital. The company utilizes mobile technology and facial recognition to verify medication adherence, subsequently capturing patient data via its app, where algorithms identify the specific medications and monitor drug intake.



10) On March 7, Propeller Health partnered with Aptar, a drug delivery systems company, to develop a smart metered-dose inhaler for patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).



11) On March 10, Nestlé and Medidata, a global leader in cloud solutions for clinical research, announced a two-year research project in China. The study has been launched in China to evaluate the effects of nutritional supplements combined with exercise on elderly individuals experiencing joint discomfort. This clinical trial will utilize trackers and mobile applications from Garmin, the world’s fourth-largest wearable device manufacturer, for monitoring purposes.



12) On March 21, digital smoking cessation company 2Morrow partnered with GlaxoSmithKline to provide Nicoderm CQ smoking cessation patches to individuals who successfully completed the 2Morrow program. The patch, made from specialized materials, is absorbed directly through the skin and provides 24-hour efficacy, helping users quit smoking by meeting their body’s nicotine needs while curbing cravings.



13) On March 23, Propeller Health, a company dedicated to respiratory health management, announced a commercial partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim, the world’s largest privately held pharmaceutical company. Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma who use Boehringer Ingelheim’s pulmonary drug delivery devices can now participate in Propeller Health’s program, leveraging its sensors for monitoring to achieve better health management.