Propeller Health said today it inked a deal with GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE:GSK) to develop a sensor for GSK’s Ellipta dry powder inhaler.
Through the non-exclusive agreement, the 1st between the 2 companies, Propeller will develop and manufacture a custom sensor for the Ellipta inhaler for use in clinical studies of the device used to treat asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
“We are pleased to announce a collaboration with GSK, a global leader in the treatment of respiratory disease. Together we aim to combine our expertise to empower patients and positively impact care,” CEO David Van Sickle said in a press release.
The sensor will be designed to automatically collect and record data on inhaler usage and transmit the information wirelessly to a data repository for GlaxoSmithKline to analyze. GSK hopes the sensor will help it analyze adherence patterns across patient populations to more accurately understand the correlation of ahderence with other outcomes.
“We continue to find new and better ways to conduct clinical trials by exploring novel patient centered outcomes through strategic collaborations. Using innovative sensor technology to improve the quality of adherence data collected during our studies will advance our understanding of disease and inform our decision-making in the development of new medicines,” GSK senior veep of respiratory R&D Dave Allen said in prepared remarks.
Propellor said its platform has been used in 35 commercial programs in the U.S., and is compatible with most commonly used asthma and COPD inhaler devices.
The platform has received FDA 510(k) class II clearance for measuring and improving medication adherence, predicting exacerbations and reducing the frequency of symptoms and exacerbations in asthma and COPD, the company said.
