Belgium biopharma UCB has partnered with Verint Systems to launch a new app for Parkinson’s patients that offers support and adherence.
The app is dubbed “April” and features conversational, virtual health assistance that is part of UCB’s digital health coach platform.
“April offers a vital support system to people living with and caring for those with Parkinson’s disease, leveraging AI technology to provide ongoing, personalized support, and access to the resources they need,” Mike Davis, UCB’s head of U.S. Neurology Patient Value Unit, said in a statement. “April is designed to build a relationship with the patient and help deliver what patients’ value when it comes to their care.”
The app—formally known as PD Coach April—uses Verint’s Alme Platform and Behavioral Observation System model that allows for evidence-based conversation that lets patients engage in conversations that feels natural. The platform gives PD Coach with general knowledge of Parkinson’s that, in turn, allows April to speak with patients about the realities of the disease.
Additional features include journaling and symptom tracking.
In May, UCB announced it was partnering with Science 37 to bring clinical trials out of brick-and-mortar sites and into participants’ homes. By using telemedicine, real-world data and outcomes reported by patients via a mobile device, they plan to ultimately make certain types of studies much more feasible.