Pfizer unveils a custom version of Minecraft for young hemophilia patients

Hemocraft game

Pfizer has launched Hemocraft, a modification of the popular video game Minecraft, and the custom wristband called HemMobile Striiv Wearable to help people living with hemophilia in the US. Hemophilia is a rare bleeding disorder in which the body is unable to properly create a blood clot, affecting 20,000 people in the US and an estimated 400,000 people worldwide.

“These new digital innovations can be integrated into everyday routines to help empower people with hemophilia to learn about and track different aspects relevant to their disease so that they can have informed conversations with their healthcare providers,” Dr. Kevin W. Williams, Chief Medical Officer of Pfizer Rare Disease, said in a statement. “Ongoing innovation, coupled with our research, and support programs, continue to allow Pfizer to positively impact patients’ lives and pioneer a new era in hemophilia — today, and in the future.”

The Hemocraft game was created in partnership with the Entrepreneurial Game Studio at Drexel University and representatives from the hemophilia community. It aims to help younger individuals with hemophilia, 8-16 years of age, learn the importance of integrating treatment into their routine in an educational and fun gaming environment.

In Hemocraft, players go on a quest and interact with the village doctor to learn how to stick to their treatment plan, stay prepared, and understand how treatment works. Throughout the game, players are challenged to monitor factor levels and self-infuse to help control bleeding, if needed.

As for the HemMobile Striiv Wearable, it is the first such product made for patients with hemophilia, offering an easy-to-use tool to track activity. The wrist-worn device has several useful features including tracking daily activity levels and monitoring heart rate to measure intensity. It integrates with Pfizer’s existing HemMobile app, which allows users to log bleeds and infusions, monitor their factor supply, and set appointment reminders. The data captured generate personalized reports to provide a user’s health care team with insights that can help guide the discussion between a physician and their patient.

The HemMobile Striiv Wearable is available at no charge to anyone diagnosed with hemophilia in the US, regardless of what treatment they use, and more information about ordering can be found at patients’ doctors’ offices or hemophilia treatment centers.

Launched in 2012 for iOS and Android devices, the HemMobile app is ranked as the #1 hemophilia app in the Apple App Store and continues to be enhanced based on input and feedback from the hemophilia community.