Huma and UCB partner to provide digital health solution to improve management of the rare disease, Myasthenia gravis

News provided by

HUMA Therapeutics

26 Apr, 2023, 06:00 GMT

  • Project aims to improve patient outcomes through better clinical management of disease exacerbations using self-reported data
  • Exciting opportunity to improve education and empowerment and for patients to be active participants in their own care
  • Huma's EU MDR Class IIb regulated Software as Medical Device technology will advance proactive, predictive, personalised care for people with a rare disease

NEW YORK and LONDON, April 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Huma Therapeutics ("Huma"), a leading global digital health company, and UCB, a global biopharmaceutical company, are partnering to offer a digital technology solution to help patients with the rare disease, Myasthenia gravis (MG), better understand and manage their condition with the support of their clinician. The digital platform is launching in Europe ahead of international expansion.

The technology platform is founded on Huma's EU MDR Class IIb regulated Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) - the only disease agnostic SaMD to receive this level of EU MDR regulatory classification to-date. It will provide patients with access to MG-specific, trusted educational materials, and the ability to report and track their symptoms over time using the MG-Activities of Daily Living Scale (MG-ADL)[1]. These data are shared with clinicians through a web-based dashboard to detect exacerbations in symptoms early and intervene where necessary. Identifying exacerbation triggers will support proactive clinical decision-making and should improve patient experience. Patients can download summary reports of their health data to discuss with their clinician to maximise in-person consultations.

Dan Vahdat, CEO and Founder of Huma, said: "There has been a huge growth in drug development for rare diseases and creating treatments for this population requires a greater degree of personalisation, which is exactly what our digital health platform provides. Our new classification of Class IIb level regulation means that we can work more collaboratively and in a shorter time frame with our pharma partners to launch solutions with predictive algorithms that can have a major impact for patients at the individual level, that's why our approach is revolutionary. We're excited to partner with UCB and be able to bring benefit to rare disease patients again, which is where we began when the company launched over a decade ago."

The partnership is part of UCB's approach to offer a patient-centred approach to transform the way care is delivered to rare disease populations in a meaningful, tangible, and real-world setting.

Charl van Zyl, Executive Vice President Neurology & Head Of Europe/International Markets at UCB, said: "UCB is working to enable people with rare diseases to live the best life that they can. Symptoms of Myasthenia gravis can vary greatly and each person experiences the disease in a uniquely personal way. We believe that innovations in digital health solutions can offer the necessary personalised support, education, and resources for each patient."

Colin Lake, Vice President, Head of Digital Care Transformation, Neurology, Head of Digital Rare Disease UCB, said: "This digital solution is an important first step in demonstrating UCB's commitment to the rare disease community. We are beginning in Myasthenia gravis and we have the ambition to expand to other rare diseases. We're delighted to work with Huma as we believe that partnerships are key to creating the best-in-class patient experience for patients across the rare disease community."

About Huma

Huma Therapeutics is a global digital health technology company that advances digital-first care delivery and research to help people live longer, fuller lives. Huma's award-winning modular platforms are used by more than 3,000 hospitals and clinics, with 1.8+ million active users in healthcare and 650,000+ participants across research. Huma's regulated Software as a Medical Device is the only disease agnostic platform to hold EU MDR Class IIb certification status. It powers:

  • Digital first care for health systems
  • companion apps to support patients through treatment and drug therapies
  • virtual clinical trials to accelerate research

Please visit www.huma.com and follow us on LinkedIn at Huma

About UCB

UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system or the central nervous system. With approximately 8 700 people in approximately 40 countries, the company generated revenue of € 5.5 billion in 2022. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB). 

Media contacts:
Contact (Huma):

Karen Birmingham PhD
Head of PR & Communications, Huma
karen.birmingham@huma.com

Contact (UCB):

Jim Baxter
Brand Communications, Rare Diseases
T+32.2.473.78.85.01
jim.baxter@ucb.com 

[1] Talking, chewing, breathing, swallowing, impaired ability to brush teeth or comb hair, impaired ability to rise from a chair, double vision, eyelid droop.

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