Shire has signed up to offer haemophilia patients with a free customised version of a widely-used secure care monitoring mobile app.
The firm is collaborating with digital health company MicroHealth to produce a new version of its app, also called MicroHealth.
This will be tailored with new features and information for the 5-7% of haemophilia patients that have inhibitors, a serious that can occur when the immune system prevents standard haemophilia treatments from working.
Shire’s US haematology head Patty Torr, said: “At Shire, we want to do everything we can to help people manage their hemophilia and to limit the burden of the disease on their everyday lives.
“Enhancing the existing MicroHealth app with new functionality and resources to address the needs of hemophilia patients with inhibitors is an important innovation for this group of patients.”
Despite working together on the project, Shire and MicroHealth will remain independent of each other and the pharma firm will not have access to any patient, caregiver or other third-party data through the collaboration.
MicroHealth, a digital health company co-created by a hemophilia patient, originally launched its app in 2011 to help improve haemophilia patient care and outcomes.
The tool allows patients to set reminders, track, store and selectively share personal health data, including photos and bleed alerts, with members of their care team.
MicroHealth co-founder Aaron Craig said: “I created the MicroHealth app with a keen understanding of the challenges and complexities of managing haemophilia based on my own experiences living with severe haemophilia A.
“I wanted to develop a tool that would help streamline hemophilia care to produce stronger adherence. We’re excited to partner with Shire on extensions to the app to better support patients with inhibitors and their care teams.”
The free MicroHealth app is available globally in both English and Spanish on Apple and Android devices. An estimated 20% of American haemophilia patients on prophylactic treatment are MicroHealth app users, and it has been linked to a meaningful reduction in bleed rates.
