Otsuka Pharmaceutical (TYO:4578) said today it inked a collaborative deal with health management group Magellan Health to distribute its drug-device combo Abilify Mycite in the US.
The Tokyo-based pharmaceutical company touted the Abilify Mycite system as the first FDA-approved drug-device combo designed to track drug ingestion, and said that the tracking data will be integrated into Magellan Health’s mental health provider network.
The Abilify Mycite system includes aripiprazole tablets with an embedded ingestible event marker, a wearable Mycite patch sensor and the Mycite smartphone app and web-based dashboard to track drug ingestion.
“We are confident that being able to track drug ingestion in patients with serious mental illness will provide compelling insights for patients and their healthcare provider teams. We are eager for patients, doctors and the healthcare community to experience the Abilify Mycite System in a real-world setting. This collaboration agreement is an important milestone in our initial rollout of the Abilify Mycite System to market. We look forward to collaborating with additional payer groups to continue learning as we move toward a data-driven treatment approach,” Otsuka NA pharma biz prez & CEO Kabir Nath said in a press release.
Otsuka said that patients in select regional provider networks will be contacted through Magellan Health for an initial rollout of the system, with a goal of focusing on a select number of individuals initiall to “understand how it fits within the daily lives of those with serious mental illness and their caregivers.”
“Our collaboration with Otsuka is a natural progression for Magellan Health in providing next-generation precision medicine that can empower individuals with serious mental illness. The opportunity for new insights to drive personalized care for the individual will also allow us to enhance our digital tools and care management model that we offer for our members. This collaboration aligns with our purpose of leading humanity to healthy, vibrant lives through a joint commitment to improving patient outcomes for complex populations,” Magellan Healthcare CEO Sam Srivastava said in a prepared statement.
“This strategically aligned collaboration between Otsuka and Magellan Health has the aim of providing real-world evidence to demonstrate the value of this drug/device combination product over time. This is an exciting time, from a population health perspective, as we gather insights into factors that influence adherence to treatment and consider the related clinical and economic implications,” Dr. David Nash of Thomas Jefferson University said in a prepared release.
Both Otsuka and Magellan said that more details on the launch will be shared in the coming months as the Abilify Mycite system is integrated into healthcare systems.