Sanofi is collaborating with Happify Health, which provides evidence-based mental health digital therapeutics, to develop and study an app to help manage and improve psychological outcomes in people with multiple sclerosis.
According to Sanofi, digital therapeutics (DTx) deliver to patients evidence-based therapeutic interventions to patients that are driven by high quality software programs to help prevent, manage and treat a medical disorder or disease. They are used independently or in concert with medications, devices or other therapies to optimize patient care and health outcomes. Investment in such approaches is part of a broader strategic effort at Sanofi.
"Physical health and mental health are linked," said Ameet Nathwani, chief digital officer and chief medical officer of Sanofi. "Through its collaboration with Happify Health, Sanofi aims to provide real-time, constant support for mental health conditions and improve quality of life."
The collaboration will create an app that introduces cognitive behavior therapy to help improve mental health through education and other activities.
Based on randomized clinical trial results, Sanofi and Happify aim to submit the app for U.S. Food and Drug Administration for clearance, subjecting it to a regulatory process for software as a medical device. If the FDA clears the app, it would be available by prescription.
Read the full Sanofi release