Dose Check
A seamless partnership to keep doctor-patient communication simple
Designed and developed in partnership with Amalgam Rx, a pioneer in enabling data-driven health care decisions, Novo Nordisk brought a global team of product owners, commercial leads, system managers to work alongside Amalgam’s team of technical experts to launch a digital therapeutic (DTx) to support insulin titration for people with Type 2 diabetes and the healthcare team.
Every day, diabetes affects millions of people, so finding better ways for patients to live with and manage the disease remains a constant ambition for Novo Nordisk. However, even something as crucial finding the right insulin dose for a patient (titration) is a process that is often overlooked or not done correctly.
The numbers speak for themselves. Studies have revealed that between 72 and 84% of patients do not recall hearing about titration or dose adjustment from their doctors. Moreover, 71% of patients still do not reach their blood glucose target two years after starting their basal insulin initiation – this indicated a substantial number of patients were not achieving the correct insulin dose.
To solve this challenge, Novo Nordisk decided to explore whether digital solutions could help people with type 2 diabetes who were using basal insulins.
The human objective was to extend a helping hand to those grappling with the challenges of diabetes and enable people to forget about their condition, momentarily, and hopefully be able to live more comfortably.
However, what we soon discovered was that someone else had already been working on this exact problem.
Amalgam, a US-based pioneer in digital therapeutics, was already developing a cutting-edge digital therapeutic solution, or software as a medical device (SaMD), called ‘Dose Check’. So Novo Nordisk decided to do something we’d never done before – to engage with Amalgam RX in a collaboration with the ambition of taking their software as a medical device global.
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Diabetes precision
Dose Check is a digital therapeutic (DTx) app and website designed to provide precise dose recommendations for people with type 2 diabetes that are initiating or transitioning to basal insulins with the ultimate goal being to achieve their target blood glucose range.
Using daily blood glucose data provided by patients Dose Check offers tailored dose recommendations that align with the treatment defined by the patient’s doctors. Through real-time recording of the patient’s data and health, it provides a platform for transparent digital communication, potentially easing the interaction between doctors and patients.
Collaborative, creation
Today's Dose Check is the result of a positive and strategic collaboration between Novo Nordisk and Amalgam. This partnership between two companies from different, even competing, landscapes demonstrate the potential of collaboration within life sciences. Novo Nordisk, a giant in the life sciences industry, with its meticulously considered processes, joined forces with the tech pioneers at Amalgam, known for their startup mentality focused on speed and agility.
The complementary nature of the partnership between the two companies has been key to succeeding in the commercialisation of Dose Check. Amalgam created the software, and Novo Nordisk contributed with a wealth of experience in distribution and commercialisation. But as this partnership was one of the first of its kind, it also presented a unique set of challenges.
Some of these were technical, such as working within a quality management system (QMS) for software as a medical device (SaMD), which was both challenging yet essential for global distribution. Regulatory approvals were also time consuming due to evolving SaMD assessment standards. Navigating partnerships in a new domain presented learning curves, but these issues were not insurmountable.
A glimpse into the digital-first future
The strategic direction represents an exciting opportunity for those with the necessary technical expertise to apply their skills to make a difference in an industry dedicated to helping people. Software engineers, content designers, IT specialists, data scientists, UX/UI – the list goes on – all with transferable skills that the life sciences industry needs. An industry which has only just begun to scratch the surface of digital transformation.
A compassionate approach
In a world where health challenges continue to grow, innovative and compassionate solutions like Dose Check make a difference. The success of such initiatives isn't solely measured in data points or statistics. It's gauged by the improved quality of life experienced by patients and by the peace of mind it provides to healthcare professionals – by the hope it gives for a brighter future.
However, the Dose Check tale is about how technical expertise, both inside Novo Nordisk and through collaboration with external partners, enabled the creation of a solution with life-changing potential. Dose Check represents a future in which pharmaceutical companies can seamlessly integrate more digital solutions into healthcare. As the demand for more tech solutions grows, we hope that initiatives like Dose Check will pave the way for a more connected, informed, and patient-centric approach to managing chronic conditions.
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