Roche, Temedica Launch Brisa App to Improve Lives of German Patients

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by Patricia Inacio, PhD |

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Temedica, a Munich-based digital health company, has joined efforts with Roche to launch a free mobile app that aims to improve care for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) living in Germany.

Available in German only, the Brisa app will make a record of individual disease progression in MS patients and actively recognize changes in their health. Under its motto “Your tailwind for an independent life with MS,” the app is meant to help MS patients in the country have the best care possible.

As many as 240,000 people in Germany currently live with MS.

“In line with our company vision of crafting the future of personal health, our digital patient companions are always designed with the patient and their individual needs in mind,” Gloria Seibert, founder and CEO of Temedica, said in aĀ press release.

“Together with Roche, we want to improve the quality of life for people with MS and advance research into the disease,” she said.

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The app includes a system for patients to track their symptoms and collects individual health data, such as levels of activity, sleep patterns, and dietary habits. It also has a personalized therapy support with tailored recommendations based on the recorded data.

“We design accessibility and patient guidance to be as intuitive as possible, so that users enjoy using our apps regularly and receive real added value in the long term,ā€ Seibert said. ā€œBrisa has the potential to reach a large number of people with MS and support them individually throughout the course of their daily lives.”

Free of charge for its users, Brisa also intends to work as an educational platform for MS patients and enhance their scientific literacy. It seeks to provide motivation to adapt or sustain healthy lifestyle habits.

The goal, said Seibert, is ā€œto empower MS patients to take control of and manage their own health through continuous information and support.”

“The app combines scientific expertise and digital technology and is a unique tool for people with MS to help them improve their quality of life,” she said.

Temedica, itself launched in 2016, is on a mission to develop state-of-the-art digital patient companions for a host of medical conditions.

“We are delighted that we have found an innovative partner … in Temedica,” said Carola Bruns, medical lead neuroscience at Roche.

“Today, digital technologies enable us to accelerate medical progress and together establish healthcare that focuses even more on the individual needs of patients,” Bruns said. “We are convinced that together ā€” and in cooperation with patients, treatment providers and scientists ā€” we will make a valuable contribution to further deepen our understanding of MS and to further improve the quality of life of MS patients.”

The Brisa app can be downloaded for AndroidĀ andĀ iOS. According to Brisa’s website, the companies are waiting for its approval as a medical device before displaying all medical features, which is planned for the end of this year.