Abbott Laboratories’s most recent FDA nod will allow the use of the company's Patient Controller app on compatible personal Apple smartphone devices.

The Abbott Park, IL-based company said this approval allows patients living with neurological conditions, including chronic pain or movement disorders, the ability to manage therapy directly from their personal smartphone.

The approval eliminates the need to carry a separate patient programmer device is eliminated, streamlining the patient's experience and seamlessly integrating therapy management into their life. 

Abbott said the Patient Controller app will be integrated into Abbott's broader NeuroSphere Digital Care connected care management platform, which became available in May. It is compatible with Abbott's suite of neuromodulation technologies.

"For physicians who are prescribing and implanting neuromodulation technologies, the ability to integrate therapies into one's everyday life is key," Alexander Escobar, MD., Clinical Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at The University of Toledo, OH, said in a release. "The COVID-19 global health crisis has demanded access to virtual treatment options, especially for those individuals with chronic medical conditions that may have difficulty coming to see their physician or would prefer not to leave their own home. To ensure our patients are receiving the care they need in the appropriate setting, close follow up is critical. Physicians have the ability to remain engaged with their patients through the Apple device, allowing them to interact and treat debilitating chronic pain."

Neuromodulation was a bright spot in Abbott’s most earnings. Previously, Abbott's offerings had been impacted by COVID-19.

“Over the course of the second quarter, we saw steady improvements in procedure volumes across our cardiovascular and neuromodulation portfolio,” Robert Ford, Abbott’s CEO said according to a Seeking Alpha transcript of the earnings call. “For example, at the end of June, our procedure volumes had rebounded to approximately 90% of pre-COVID levels on average in the U.S., which represents a significant recovery compared to procedure activity at the beginning of the second quarter."