U.S. authorities approved the
world’s first digital drug, an antipsychotic pill that signals smartphones once
it reaches the gut so doctors can track whether patients are taking their
medication.
Tuesday’s green light from the Food
and Drug Administration means Japan’s Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. can implant a
tiny chip containing minerals like silicon, magnesium and copper inside tablets
of Abilify, which is used to treat schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other
mental illnesses.
Once swallowed, the chip mixes with
stomach acids and sends a heartbeat-like signal to an adhesive patch worn on a
patient’s torso. The patch records the dosage and time of ingestion and relays
this to a smartphone app for patients to monitor and share with doctors and
caretakers. The chip ultimately passes through the digestive tract normally.
Otsuka spent years testing the drug
with Silicon Valley company Proteus Digital Health Inc., which provided the chip technology.
The invention is intended for
patients with mental illnesses who don’t always take their medication or may be
forgetful, jeopardizing the success of their treatment. Digital drugs may also
solve a couple of problems facing pharmaceutical companies and insurers: lower
drug sales because of missed doses and higher medical costs treating patients
whose conditions worsen
Source Wall Street Journal.
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