The pivotal trial will investigate the effectiveness of digital therapeutics in reducing depressive symptoms in patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder.

Omar Ford

February 26, 2021

1 Min Read
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Otsuka Pharmaceutical and Click Therapeutics are making their major depressive disorder (MDD) clinical trial ‘remote’ and are working with Verily Life Sciences to do so.

The pivotal trial will investigate the effectiveness of digital therapeutics in reducing depressive symptoms in up to 540 adults diagnosed with MDD who are on antidepressant monotherapy.  The participation will be 10 weeks.

South San Francisco, CA-based Verily will provide tools and technology to engage patients and clinicians, in order to increase the pace of studies and collect higher quality, more comprehensive data in a more naturalistic setting. The trial will run off Verily’s Project Baseline platform.  

“The COVID-19 pandemic has clearly demonstrated the need for digital treatments and fully remote e-clinical trials that go beyond the pill to empower patients, enhance connectivity between patients and their healthcare team, and ensure more diverse populations can participate in new clinical trials,” said Kabir Nath, president and CEO of Otsuka North America Pharmaceutical Business Division.

Verily’s role in healthcare has evolved.

Some of Verily’s first forays into healthcare were structured more as joint ventures – seemingly giving the company a foothold in the industry. Some of the company’s earliest partnerships and projects revolved around the diabetes market.

However, Verily’s partnerships in healthcare have become more in depth since its days as the life sciences arm of Google.

Recently, the company launched  a COVID-19 Immune Response Study with Janssen Research & Development as part of the company’s Project Baseline. The study will collect biological measurements, clinical, and epidemiological data at the time of COVID-19 testing to characterize longitudinal molecular and/or immunological signatures associated with progression of disease resulting from SARS-CoV-2 infection over 28 days.

About the Author(s)

Omar Ford

Omar Ford is MD+DI's Editor-in-Chief. You can reach him at [email protected].

 

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