Positive Impact on Adherence in HIV Patients Using Single-tablet Antiretroviral Therapy
MIAMI — June 7, 2018 — Medisafe, the leading medication management platform with almost four and a half million registered users, today released data showing that previously non-adherent HIV patients increase their prescription refills after they start using the company’s mobile app. These results are part of a landmark study conducted by IQVIA, a leading global provider of information, innovative technology solutions and next generation of clinical development for the life sciences industry.’
To determine the increase in adherence, the study related non-identifiable data concerning those Medisafe users on a single oral HIV tablet regimen to non-identifiable prescription data; all data was de-identified to a HIPAA standard. For each of the 79 users matched to sufficient refill data, the investigators calculated a medication possession ratio (“MPR”) pre-app (before the patient started using Medisafe) and on-app (once the patient started using Medisafe). Patients were then grouped into corresponding MPR deciles (0 – 0.1 being the least adherent, 0.9 – 1.0 being the most adherent). MPR is a standard metric used by the healthcare industry to track medication adherence, in which an MPR of 1.0 corresponds to a 100% refill rate.
Key findings:
- 90% of patients with pre-app MPR < 0.90 increased their MPR on-app
- 79% of patients with pre-app MPR < 0.80 increased by at least two deciles on-app
- The proportion of patients with MPR ≥ 0.80 increased from 82.3% pre-app to 88.6% on-app, a 7.7% relative increase
|
Summary Table |
||||
|
Adherence (MPR) |
Pre-app |
On-app |
p-value |
% Change |
|
Mean |
0.91 |
0.94 |
0.1152 |
3.3% |
|
Standard Deviation |
0.19 |
0.11 |
||
|
Adherent [MPR ≥80%) |
65 (82.28%) |
70 (88.61%) |
0.167 |
7.7% |
|
N=79 |
||||
According to a 2013 study, patients who are non-adherent to their antiretroviral regimen have a fourfold higher risk of mortality than those who are adherent.
“We are extremely pleased that Medisafe dramatically improved adherence for cohorts of users who historically struggled, because following an HIV regimen correctly is critical to helping people with the disease live full and long lives,” said Jon Michaeli EVP of Strategic Partnerships at Medisafe and co-author of the study. “It is a testament to Medisafe’s approach — personalizing the app experience to each patient uniquely — that the app continues to show impressive results across many different therapeutic areas and disease states.”
“Being undetectable — with HIV viral load not measurable in the blood — reduces the risk of HIV-related disease and infecting sexual partners, and increases the likelihood of being AIDS free.” said Dr. Itzik Levy, Director of the HIV/AIDS Center at Sheba Medical Center in Israel, one of the country’s leading hospitals. “Adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the main factor in keeping viral load undetectable. Non-adherence may contribute to the development of drug resistant mutations and thus compromise present and future response to ART. Being fully adherent to ART is the most important factor contributing to reduced mortality and morbidity for HIV patients.”
Medisafe released similar results for hypertension — showing major improvements amongst previously non-adherent patients — from the same study in May at the HLTH conference. Medisafe will continue releasing results of this novel study throughout the rest of this year.