Wisconsin, Madison-based Asthmapolis, which has built a sensor that tracks use of an existing inhaler to manage asthma better, has raised $6.9 million, according to a regulatory filing.

The filing is under the name of Reciprocal Labs, the legal entity, which does business as Asthmapolis. Part of the money - $5 million comes from the Social+Capital Partnership, a Palo Alto, California-based partnership of philanthropists, technologists and capitalists who invest in promising technologies that can have a global impact.

The Asthmapolis sensor works in concert with an application that collects the data on where and how often the medications - both rescue and controller - are being used. The data is used to understand how to manage the condition better and for adherence and patient compliance purposes. Lack of adherence is a big problem in the pharmaceutical industry. 

"Asthmapolis is a pioneering company at the intersection of sensors, analytics and digital health. The company boasts a strong pipeline, plus a compelling track record of successful patient outcomes," saidTed Maidenberg, Social Capital's general partner who joins the Asthmapolis board of directors, in a news release Thursday. "In the context of health reform, Asthmapolis presents the first compelling business case in digital health for payers and providers seeking to better manage costs and outcomes for people with chronic respiratory disease."

The FDA granted a 510(k) clearance to the Asthmapolis system in July. 

 “In addition to driving better patient-physician communication about asthma management, the tool also gives physicians the ability to quickly identify how patients in their population are doing and take steps to help patients get their disease under control,” said David Van Sickle, co-founder and CEO of Asthmapolis, said in a news release at the time. “Our mission is to make it easier for patients and their physicians to do a better job of managing asthma with less effort than traditionally required.”

What is Asthmapolis? from Asthmapolis on Vimeo.

By Arundhati Parmar, Senior Editor, MD+DI

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