Those with Parkinson’s disease as well as clinicians and those researching the neurodegenerative disorder now have a new tool for managing treatment as well as designing clinical trials. The FDA recently granted 510(k) clearance to Rune Labs’ StrivePD, a precision neurology platform, for collecting patients’ symptom data via the Apple Watch.
Combining measurements from the Apple Watch with genetic and other clinical data as well as electrophysiology and brain imaging, the “software ecosystem” gives the tens of thousands of patients who use Apple Watch devices a “data-driven” approach to the treatment and management of their disease, according to a statement from Rune Labs.
The company added that the StrivePD app gives those with Parkinson’s more control over their care by making it easy for them to track and log disease symptoms. Previously, the company notes, researchers and doctors made treatment decisions based on limited data and information. The StrivePD app aims to solve that challenge by providing better, more visible data to patients, their care teams, and researchers.
“Being able to show my neurologist how my motor symptoms were fluctuating, thanks to StrivePD, was the impetus for me to get surgery for a deep brain stimulation device,” said Aura Oslapas, a Parkinson’s patient who created the StrivePD mobile app and recently joined Rune Labs’ Patient Advisory Board, in a statement.
She added that the app will help patients and doctors make better, faster decisions on treating the disease.
“When people with Parkinson’s are prescribed new medications, adjusting how much to take and when to take it until they find something that works can be a lengthy process. StrivePD helps people to track their symptoms and improvements, accelerating the time to an optimal medication schedule—and with today’s clearance, more people will have access to this life-changing technology,” Oslapas said in the press release. “StrivePD on Apple Watch is the long-awaited union of quantitative and qualitative data that encourages better care and communication between patients and clinicians, while also empowering people with Parkinson’s who are striving to live better every day.” FDA clearance for StrivePD will also help patients who use Medtronic’s Percept™ PC Deep Brain Stimulation device via Rune Labs’ partnership with Medtronic, as the app “will enhance clinicians’ ability to make brain-sensing data from these devices useful,” Rune Labs added.