Sterna is a clinical-stage immunology company developing novel biological treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases. The current study is designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of its lead drug candidate, SB010, for the treatment of asthma. With its Kata Clinical application, the company supports Munich startup Visionhealth Sterna in this project.
The app is designed for pharmaceutical, biotech, and CRO partners to support clinical trials on respiratory diseases. For Sterna's asthma study, Visionhealth has adapted Kata Clinical to specifically support the run-in phase for patient preparation and treatment adherence, as well as ensuring correct inhalation with SB010. Furthermore, the app is intended to support daily monitoring and management of disease and safety parameters such as asthma symptoms, peak flow values, and (Editor's note: lung function values) and monitor emergency medication.
Chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma are typically treated with inhaled medications. The inhalation process is prone to errors. Not only the treatment, but also the results of clinical trials depend to a large extent on the correct use of inhalers and the resulting, correct dosage of medication.
Important milestone
Dr. Sabine Häußermann, CEO and founder of Visionhealth, says:
"The integration of Kata Clinical into Sterna's study is an important milestone, but also an important validation of our technology and business model. We are convinced that the study will have concrete benefits thanks to Kata Clinical: Through correct inhaler use, patients receive the intended dose of medication in the lungs. This leads to valid data. It also simplifies data management overall."
And Dr. Marion Wencker, Chief Scientific Officer at Sterna Biologicals, continues:
"We are delighted to collaborate with Visionhealth and use Kata Clinical in our proof-of-concept study for SB010 in asthma. Kata Clinical is like a versatile 'jackknife' for clinical trials in respiratory indications. To adapt the app to our study, we selected the features that best support us in conducting comprehensive data collection and analysis through integrated questionnaires and patient diaries. We are confident that we can increase data validity by minimizing inhaler errors: Kata Clinical supports our study participants with a fascinating combination of artificial intelligence and computer animation."
