Dance Biopharm said today that it has partnered with DarioHealth (NSDQ:DRIO) to integrate Dance’s smart inhaler into DarioHealth’s digital therapeutics program.
Durham, N.C.-based Dance Biopharm’s smart inhaler includes vibrating mesh designed to create a soft mist that improves medication coverage in the lung. In clinical trials, the device delivered insulin in mist form with a faster drug onset and comparable duration to subcutaneous delivery of rapid insulin for patients with Type 2 diabetes.
Israel-based DarioHealth’s digital platform includes the MyDario application, a data-driven blood glucose monitoring system with an optional connected blood pressure monitoring system.
The companies intend to combine the inhaler and the therapeutics platform to provide patients with automated, real-time treatment data through the mobile app. Dario will immediately begin designing the software for Dance to accommodate clinical trials and potential market options, according to a news release.
“We are excited to partner with DarioHealth in empowering patients to take charge of their chronic illness,” Dance Biopharm CEO Anne Whitaker said in the release. “This platform is well-established in the digital therapeutics space and has demonstrated positive behavior change in patients with chronic diseases through its user-centered approach. We share a similar goal of adapting our platforms to chronic diseases beyond diabetes. Dance Biopharm is exploring opportunities to pair the smart inhaler with gentle mist biologic formulations beyond insulin. Our initial focus is on rare and severe diseases in the endocrinology, respiratory, and cardiovascular space, where our platform and expertise present a unique opportunity to achieve better treatment efficiency.”
“Diabetes is a complex chronic condition that evolves over time, making real-time, streamed patient data essential to care,” added DarioHealth CEO Erez Raphael. “Through this strategic alliance, we are excited to expand the potential for our patient-centered, diabetes care and management solutions… Our goal is to place control of diabetes management directly into the hands of our users and, pending completion of clinical trials and regulatory approval, we believe that this alliance will help advance that critical objective.”
Shares of DRIO were up +1.9% at $0.38 per share in early-afternoon trading today.
