Takeda, Cambridge partner on wearable for cognition in MDD

Takeda Pharmaceuticals and Cognition Kit Limited recently announced a collaborative study assessing efficacy of an Apple Watch app to monitor and assess cognitive function in major depressive disorder.

“By combining wearable technology with world leading neuroscience, we’ve created an app that collects real time passive and active high-frequency mental health data,” Jenny Barnett, PhD, of Cognition Kit and the University of Cambridge, said in a press release. “Being able to access data regularly from daily life can help clinical decision making. Health care professionals can obtain patient data and increase patient engagement in their treatment.”

To determine feasibility, compliance and accuracy of the app’s measurements of mood and cognition, researchers will assess 30 individuals, aged 18 to 65 years, with mild-to- moderate depression who were prescribed an antidepressant.

“Takeda is committed to CNS and the mental health community,” Nicole Mowad-Nassar, MBA, vice president of external partnerships at Takeda, said in the release. “This collaboration is part of our strategy to embrace new technology to better understand the patient experience and assist health care professionals in creating improved patient care pathways.”

Study findings are expected in the first half of 2017.