Companion app to be developed for Parkinson’s treatment Flexilev
App will complement dose dispenser OraFID, approved throughout Europe
Navamedic is partnering with Alex Therapeutics to offer a new companion app to people with Parkinson’s disease who are treated with Flexilev, the former’s water-soluble minitablet formulation of levodopa and carbidopa.
The app, which will be developed by Alex Therapeutics, will provide medication management tools tailored to the needs and challenges of Parkinson’s patients, and will complement the use of OraFID, the next-generation dose dispenser of Flexilev, which is approved in more than a dozen European countries, but not in the U.S.
“We are excited to collaborate with Alex Therapeutics to enhance the lives of Parkinson’s patients through the companion app,” Kathrine Gamborg Andreassen, CEO of Navamedic, said in a company press release. “This partnership not only reflects our commitment to making the treatment more accessible and manageable, but also underscores our dedication to easing the burden that patients face in their day-to-day care.”
Alex Therapeutics seeks to launch the app in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark in the coming year, and has plans to expand further.
Flexilev, originally developed by Sensidose AB, has been prescribed in Sweden to treat Parkinson’s since 2013. Three years later, it won regulatory approval in 13 other European countries, including Norway, Denmark, Iceland, the Netherlands, and the U.K.
Navamedic acquired Sensidose AB in 2023 and sold the therapy’s licensing and marketing rights across Europe — excluding Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland —to Orion Corporation this year.
Benefits of automated dispensers
Flexilev, available as water-soluble minitablets, contains 5 mg of levodopa and 1.25 mg of carbidopa. Levodopa, also called L-Dopa, contains a molecule that cells can use to make dopamine, boosting its levels. Carbidopa stops cells outside the brain from using levodopa to make dopamine. This means more levodopa gets into the brain to help ease Parkinson’s symptoms.
The microtablets allow for small doses of levodopa to be administered frequently. This may lead to less fluctuation of levodopa in the bloodstream, which could improve its effectiveness and reduce adverse events.
Some research indicates treatment with Flexilev and automated dispensers may improve self-reported symptom control for patients.
Flexilev is administered through automated dispensers such as OraFID. The ready-to-use dispenser comes prefilled with the therapy’s minitablets and dispenses the correct dose of up to 20 minitablets at a time.
Parkinson’s patients can also face nonmotor cognitive symptoms, including issues with memory, language, and thinking, that can make managing medication difficult. Digital tools like the planned companion app can help support taking medications as prescribed.
The planned app will complement the use of OraFID for precise, individualized treatment of Parkinson’s disease.
Alex Therapeutics, which is based in Boston and Stockholm, has developed a number of clinically validated drug and disease companion apps for varying rare diseases and cancer, focusing on medical conditions that require complex treatment regimens and that may be psychologically distressing.
“We are proud to partner with Navamedic to bring this tailored solution to the Parkinson’s community,” said John Drakenberg, CEO and founder of Alex Therapeutics. “Our goal is to empower patients to manage their treatments effectively, for better symptom relief and improved quality of life.”
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