Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc., and Spencer Health Solutions, Inc., Enter Agreement for Use of spencer® Smart Hub in Clinical Trials and Commercial Applications

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc., and Spencer Health Solutions, Inc., today announced an agreement to jointly create a transformational patient experience using the spencer® smart hub, the world’s first at-home medication device that connects patients and their care teams through an easy-to-use, fully integrated platform.

As part of the agreement, Otsuka will evaluate the spencer device to improve medication adherence and patient engagement in clinical trials and commercial applications.

“Our commitment to the democratization of clinical trials, patient engagement and leveraging technology to improve diversity and inclusion in clinical research helps drive our success at Otsuka,” said Christoph Koenen, MD, executive vice president & chief medical officer, Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. “The spencer smart hub will be an asset in our efforts to improve treatment plans for people living with challenging health conditions.”

Using spencer for patient medication management and telehealth reinforces both companies’ continued commitment to innovative patient engagement programs. Otsuka will provide direct-to-patient services through use of the spencer medication smart hub, which has been proven to increase patient engagement as well as raise medication adherence.

“Otsuka is known globally for its commitment to innovation in healthcare,” said Tom Rhoads, founder and chief executive officer, Spencer Health Solutions, Inc. “We are excited to be working with a remarkable team at Otsuka in the U.S. that is as committed as we are to advancing clinical research from the trial participant’s home.”

Use of the spencer technology offers improved study compliance and clear drug efficacy through real-time data, all while promoting patient safety. In addition to its use in Phase 1- 4 traditional and decentralized clinical trials, the spencer smart hub supports patient support programs for commercially approved products as well.

About Spencer Health Solutions, Inc.

As the world’s first and only at-home medication smart hub, spencer is the future of patient engagement. Rare and chronic disease patients have enough to worry about. The spencer device eases the burden by helping ensure medication adherence and providing extensive, built-in telehealth support, delivering a transformational patient experience.

Spencer Health Solutions can be found online at spencerhealthsolutions.com and on Twitter @SpencerHealth.

About Otsuka

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is a global healthcare company with the corporate philosophy: “Otsuka–people creating new products for better health worldwide.” Otsuka researches, develops, manufactures and markets innovative products, with a focus on pharmaceutical products to meet unmet medical needs and nutraceutical products for the maintenance of everyday health.

In pharmaceuticals, Otsuka is a leader in the challenging areas of mental, renal and cardiovascular health and has additional research programs in oncology and on several under-addressed diseases including tuberculosis, a significant global public health issue. These commitments illustrate how Otsuka is a “big venture” company at heart, applying a youthful spirit of creativity in everything it does.

Otsuka established a presence in the U.S. in 1973 and today its U.S. affiliates include Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization, Inc. (OPDC) and Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc. (OAPI). These two companies’ 1,700 employees in the U.S. develop and commercialize medicines in the areas of mental health, nephrology and cardiology, using cutting-edge technology to address unmet healthcare needs. Otsuka’s most recently approved product in the U.S. is the first-ever treatment for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, a genetic disorder in which fluid-filled cysts develop in the kidneys over time, often leading to kidney failure.

OPDC and OAPI are indirect subsidiaries of Otsuka Pharmaceutical Company, Ltd., which is a subsidiary of Otsuka Holdings Co., Ltd. headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The Otsuka group of companies employed 47,000 people worldwide and had consolidated sales of approximately USD 13 billion in 2019.

All Otsuka stories start by taking the road less travelled. Learn more about Otsuka in the U.S. at www.otsuka-us.com and connect with us on LinkedIn and Twitter at @OtsukaUS. Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.’s global website is accessible at www.otsuka.co.jp/en/.

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