Boehringer Ingelheim and HealthPrize Expand Successful Digital Patient Support Program

 Boehringer Ingelheim and HealthPrize Technologies today announced the expansion of the RespiPoints digital support program to anyone taking one of several Boehringer Ingelheim medicines, including select medicines available in the Respimat inhaler. The RespiPoints program is a free web and mobile-based program that engages and rewards patients through education about their condition and support to take their medicines daily as prescribed by their healthcare provider.

The RespiPoints program showed participants increased their knowledge of COPD and began following healthy habits. (Photo: Business Wire)

Launched through an initial nine-month pilot in 2016, the RespiPoints program showed participants increased their knowledge of COPD and began following healthy habits. For example, participants showed an improved adherence in their medicines, resulting in an 85% decrease in gap days between refilling their next prescription. As with other chronic conditions, poor adherence to medicines is common among patients with respiratory conditions, and can result in increased rates of symptoms, healthcare costs and hospitalizations.

Patients enrolled in the RespiPoints program participate in a variety of activities to earn points, which can be redeemed for e-gift cards. Activities include reporting daily medicine taking, verifying monthly refills, reading educational information and insightful tips and completing weekly quizzes and surveys. To sign-up, eligible patients should visit www.MyRespiPoints.com.

"We strongly support the role of innovative health technology solutions in respiratory treatment plans to help improve healthcare outcomes," said Jean-Michel Boers, president Human Pharma Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc. "We partnered with HealthPrize to adapt their interactive patient solution, and we are very pleased with the impact of RespiPoints, which has made a positive difference in patients’ adherence to daily treatment plans and their understanding of the disease."

Results from the nine-month pilot of the RespiPoints program, which will also be presented today at the 2018 DTC National Conference in Boston, include:

Patients who participated in the program showed an 85% decrease in gap days between refilling their next prescription after beginning RespiPoints.

Monthly engagement with the RespiPoints website averaged 4.6 visits and an average of 50 minutes per month.

Seventy-one percent of RespiPoints participants said they would be "very likely" to recommend RespiPoints to a friend or family member on the same COPD medicine.

Fifty-six percent of participants remained active in RespiPoints over the entire nine-month pilot period. Health apps in general average only nine percent engagement rates at nine months.

"The results from the RespiPoints program confirm the value of the HealthPrize platform to enroll and engage people who may need additional support to better understand and manage their health," said Tom Kottler, co-founder and CEO, HealthPrize. "Understanding the multiple challenges of non-adherence, an engagement program that gets patients to take specific actions, such as refilling their medication after a long gap, can help people increase their adherence, follow their healthcare provider’s treatment plan and improve their health."

About the Respimat Inhaler

The RESPIMAT inhaler was designed to get the medicine deep into patients’ lungs. The RESPIMAT inhaler operates independent of inspiratory effort and the slow-moving mist helps patients inhale the medicine.

As with all inhaled drugs, the actual amount of drug delivered to the lung may depend on patient factors, such as coordination between actuation of the inhaler and inspiration through the delivery system. The duration of inhalation should be at least as long as the spray duration (1.5 seconds).

Boehringer Ingelheim’s RESPIMAT family of products includes five FDA-approved medicines for respiratory diseases.

About HealthPrize Technologies

Life science companies worldwide use HealthPrize’s technology to develop digital patient experiences that enhance revenue by improving adherence, increasing health literacy, and providing brand differentiation. The company’s gamification- and behavioral economics-based platform powers and advances patient engagement for branded and generic medications across all therapeutic areas, demographics and drug delivery methods.

About Boehringer Ingelheim

Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., based in Ridgefield, CT, is the largest U.S. subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation.

Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the world’s top 20 pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, the company operates globally with approximately 50,000 employees. Since its founding in 1885, the company has remained family-owned and today creates value through innovation for three business areas including human pharmaceuticals, animal health and biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing.

Boehringer Ingelheim is committed to improving lives and providing valuable services and support to patients and their families. Our employees create and engage in programs that strengthen our communities. Please visit our website to learn more about how we make more health for more people through our Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives.

In 2016, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of about $17.6 billion (15.9 billion euros). R&D expenditure corresponds to 19.6 percent of its net sales.

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