StrivePD App to Monitor Symptoms Via Apple Watch Cleared by FDA
StrivePD, a Rune Labs‘Â app that collects motor symptom data for people with Parkinson’s disease via measurements recorded by an Apple Watch, has been cleared for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
“When people with Parkinson’s are prescribed new medications, adjusting how much to take and when to take it until they find something that works can be a lengthy process. StrivePD helps people to track their symptoms and improvements, accelerating the time to an optimal medication schedule,” Aura Oslapas, a member of Rune’s patient advisory board who helped to design the software based on her first-hand experience, said in a press release.
“Being able to show my neurologist how my motor symptoms were fluctuating, thanks to StrivePD, was the impetus for me to get surgery for a deep brain stimulation device,” Oslapas said.
The StrivePD ecosystem works by drawing data directly from Apple’s Movement Disorder API. This allows the software to automatically track common Parkinson’s motor symptoms, such as tremor or uncontrolled movements (dyskinesia).
Data are recorded and can be accessed by patients and shared with healthcare providers, potentially allowing for more personalized care and easier communication. Using the app, patients can also set medication reminders and track treatment effectiveness and side effects.
“StrivePD on Apple Watch is the long-awaited union of quantitative and qualitative data that encourages better care and communication between patients and clinicians, while also empowering people with Parkinson’s who are striving to live better every day,” Oslapas said.
Brian Pepin, CEO and founder of Rune Labs, added: “As we have seen in oncology, the introduction of large quantities of real-world data has the power to transform drug development and fundamentally change disease prognosis. This clearance is a major step towards building a similar paradigm in neurology.”
In addition to helping individuals manage their symptoms, Rune expects that data acquired through the StrivePD system to help accelerate the development of new treatments for Parkinson’s.
“With all of the data we will collect and the patients we will reach through this clearance, we will make sure the right participants enroll in trials, and help our pharma and medtech partners run more efficient trials with higher quality outcomes data, thereby enabling more therapies to come to market quickly to help those suffering from Parkinson’s,” Pepin said.
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