Japan-based Takeda Pharmaceutical Company is looking to use new digital health tools in clinical trials and has in that sense partnered with Koneksa Health.

Under the deal, Takeda will rely on Koneksa’s technology data platform to integrate biosensor and wearable technology in several of its early stage clinical studies. Said technology enables the remote collection of data measures that were previously difficult to obtain, such as patients’ continuous vital signs, activity levels and sleep metrics. Also, these studies will facilitate a performance qualification of digital health tools relative to traditional in-clinic, gold-standard assessments.

By using the modern technology Takeda aims to empower the development of “digital biomarkers” that may improve decision-making and, eventually, establish novel endpoints that will advance the assessment of patients’ functional status in their natural settings.

“Working with Koneksa enables us to take advantage of technologies and expertise that provide access to novel data streams and make our clinical trials more patient-centric,” Elena Izmailova, PhD, Senior Director, Novel Data Streams and Devices at Takeda, said in a statement. “Koneksa’s end-to-end solution allows us to collect this data in our studies using Koneksa’s sensors and devices.”

The study of disease progression or treatment effects, along with the safety profile of new drugs, necessitates new forms of data collection beyond the traditional patient-investigator rapport. Koneksa’s method of data integration is designed to enhance the ability to capture patients’ symptoms, interactions and day-to-day activities.

“This partnership provides Koneksa the opportunity to support the development of exciting medicines while broadening our bench of clinically validated sensor and device integrations,” Koneksa CEO Chris Benko said in a statement.