Devices & Diagnostics, Health IT, Pharma, Startups

4 ways Proteus is using smart pill to help doctors personalize patient care

Proteus Digital Health just raised $52 million in the second part of a $172 million […]

Proteus Digital Health just raised $52 million in the second part of a $172 million Series G round that attracted new investors to the remote monitoring company, according to a company statement. Although spokeswoman Robin Suchan declined to say who they were or how many there are, she did offer some insights about how Proteus is using what’s essentially a complex digital pill to get a deeper read on patients and how they respond to their medication. Here are a few interesting areas it is either pursuing or eyeballing, most of which make prescribing medication more personalized:

A deeper dive on adherence

Two things I frequently hear when the subject of reasons behind poor medication adherence comes up are forgetfulness and that people don’t like how their medication makes them feel. Proteus did a study looking at people on hypertension medication and used the data it received from its device. In some cases, clinicians found the medications prescribed to patients were too strong, causing side effects that could be avoided or reduced with milder drugs. In other cases, patients were given adherence counseling.

Providing better support for chronic conditions

Folks with chronic conditions such as Type 2 diabetes and COPD typically have the least support to manage what can frequently be complex diseases for individuals to deal with long-term. The company sees its technology as contributing vital data to flag up potential problems with care plans and guide insights on ways to improve treatment.

Managing complex medications

This is one area the company is evaluating for its smart pill. Although Suchan declined to specify, not taking some cancer drugs and medications for orphan diseases — which, by definition, affect under 200,000 people — can have a negative impact on people’s health and cost a lot of money. So although it’s another example of an adherence gap, it’s an area that remains to be dealt with successfully.

Collaboration with NHS

Proteus is also collaborating with organizations in the UK associated with the National Health Service to assess the value of smart pills to positively impact patients’ behavior. The organizations will identify areas where they are having the biggest challenges with adherence and the company will offer ways it can help.

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