Propeller Health, provider of an FDA-cleared digital health solution for improving outcomes in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), announced a development agreement and R&D collaboration with GSK for its Ellipta inhaler, the pharmaceutical company’s innovative, patented, dry powder inhaler.

GSK is a global leader in respiratory medicine, providing a portfolio of licensed medicines for asthma and COPD.

Under the terms of this non-exclusive agreement, the first between the two companies, Propeller Health will develop and manufacture a custom sensor for GSK’s clinical studies with the Ellipta inhaler in a number of respiratory diseases.

In the studies, the sensor will automatically collect and record data on the inhaler’s usage (such as date and time of each use), wirelessly transmitting the information to a central data repository for analysis by GSK’s clinical researchers. The sensor technology will be used to provide greater insights into adherence patterns across patient populations and will allow for more precise correlation of adherence with safety, efficacy and economic outcomes.

GSK retains an option to negotiate exclusive commercialisation rights to the sensor for use with its marketed portfolio of respiratory medicines administered using the Ellipta inhaler.

“We are pleased to announce a partnership with GSK, a global leader in the treatment of respiratory disease. Together we aim to combine our expertise to empower patients and positively impact care,” said David Van Sickle, CEO and co-founder of Propeller.

Dave Allen, senior vice president of respiratory R&D at GSK, said, “Working with our technology partners, we continue to find new and better ways to conduct clinical trials. Using innovative sensor technology to improve the quality of adherence data collected during our studies will advance our understanding of disease and inform our decision-making in the development of new medicines.”

The Propeller platform has been used by patients in over 35 commercial programmes across the United States, including major healthcare systems, payers, employers and other commercial partners. It is compatible with the majority of commonly used asthma and COPD inhaler devices including controller and reliever metered dose inhalers (MDIs), and other inhaler devices (dry powder inhaler (DPI) and soft mist inhaler (SMI)).

Propeller creates a custom view of each patient, allowing them and their physicians to better understand the impact and management of their disease in daily life. To date, the Propeller platform has received FDA 510(k) class II clearance to measure and improve medication adherence, help predict exacerbations, and help reduce the frequency of symptoms and exacerbations in asthma and COPD.

The Ellipta inhaler is a platform inhaler device. It has dual strips inside the mechanism, which mix within the inhaler when actuated. The Ellipta inhaler is being used by GSK in the development of a range of innovative medicines across its clinical development portfolio for respiratory diseases.

Development and marketing of the Propeller platform in association with medicines for asthma and COPD using the Diskus dry powder inhaler is the sole responsibility of Propeller Health and is not the subject of this or any other collaboration with GSK.