Electronics player ThinFilm announced Wednesday that it has partnered with an unnamed pharmaceutical company to develop a platform for medical devices to improve patient adherence.
Product Authentication technology
--Courtesy of ThinFilm
The platform will be based on ThinFilm’s NFC flagship OpenSense technology, which uses near-field communication tags that can transmit signals to wireless devices, depending on whether the packaging is “open” or “closed.” Interactive mobile content can be customized based on this status. Thinfilm has previously partnered with pharma packaging firm Jones on incorporating NFC tags into paperboard packaging.
The goal of the partnership is to enhance communication between patients and caregivers and improve adherence. Patients could tap the product with a smartphone to see different mobile content in an app depending on the status of the tag. Additionally, “open” or “closed” status is recorded in the cloud, which potentially allows caregivers more insight into how patients are taking their medication and whether they are refilling their prescriptions.
“Lack of compliance among patients is a critical issue globally, and industry leaders are looking for effective solutions,” said Thinfilm CEO Davor Sutija, in a statement. “Our partnership with one of the world’s leading pharma companies is focused on delivering such a solution by making medical devices smart. We are very excited about the role NFC OpenSense can play in helping doctors and other caregivers improve patient outcomes.”
A number of other companies are working on improving patient adherence via medical devices. Philips is launching a smart medication dispenser in the U.S. and Europe later this year. When it’s time to take a medication, the device dispenses it and reminds the patient to take it. If the medication is not removed, it alerts caregivers. Meanwhile, HealthPrize Technologies is developing a game-based app to push drug adherence, and Proteus is teaming up with Otsuka on an ingestible sensor pill, patch and iPad app combo to improve adherence to Otsuka’s Abilify.
- here's the statement
Related Articles:
Philips to launch medication adherence monitoring device in U.S., Europe before year end
Game-based drug adherence app startup HealthPrize nabs Series B
FDA rejects Otsuka, Proteus pill with medication adherence monitoring