Novartis has entered into a collaboration agreement with Finnish startup Popit, which provides a patient support solution to improve patient adherence and engagement. Popit’s mobile app tracks medication use through the innovative Popit Sense device that easily clips onto a blister sheet of tablets. The startup’s cloud service sends bespoke messages to patients based on their medication habits, and in clinical trial use can collect real-time data.
“Medication nonadherence is a major issue in treatment of patients. Better treatment outcomes could be achieved, if medication was taken as prescribed,” Antti Viitanen, Managing Director of Novartis Finland Oy, said in a statement. “As a pharmaceutical company, it is very important for Novartis that the patients benefit from their medication in the best possible way, and Popit’s solution can potentially help with this.”
When a Popit device is attached onto a medication blister, its sensors automatically detect when a tablet is taken. This information is sent to the app and to the cloud. If the tablet is not taken on time, the app reminds the patient. The intelligent cloud service automatically sends support messages based on medication consumption.
“The strength of our solution is its applicability for all kinds of medication blisters, which are the dominant form of packaging for solid drugs globally. At the same time, it does not require any changes to the packaging. It is unlike other products on the market,” added Teemu Piirainen, Popit’s CEO. “The smart reminders and support messages have been designed to help and engage the patient during the treatment. Additionally, the technology makes it possible to gather real-time data for example in clinical trials. We are making medication connected and basically extending the Internet of Things to pills.”
The first pilots on Popit’s technology are starting during 2019 with a focus on neurology in a number of European countries.
In addition to Popit, Novartis has also entered into a collaboration with another Finnish startup, Precordior, to further develop heart disease detection using smartphones.