DocWire News Editors

DocwireNews

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has recently received FDA-approval for their one-of-a-kind digital inhaler with built in sensors and companion mobile app. Named ProAir Digihaler, the device uses albuterol in a breath-activated dry powder inhaler with sensors that detect when the inhaler is being used and measure inspiratory flow. A Bluetooth chip in the inhaler allows the user to view this data in the mobile app and review with their physician.&ldquo;This approval marks a significant milestone not only for Teva, but for the respiratory community as it allows patients and their caregivers to better understand inhaler usage through digital technology,&rdquo; said Sven Dethlefs, EVP of global marketing and portfolio at Teva.ProAir Digihaler was designed for treatment and prevention of bronchospasm in patients of at least age four with <a href="https://proddocwire.wpengine.com/conference-coverage/caregiver-knowledge-length-stay/">asthma</a> or COPD, and can help prevent exercise-induced bronchospasms as well. Teva claims the digital inhaler will be available this year through a handful of &ldquo;Early Experience&rdquo; programs that will be carried out as partners with healthcare systems and in limited areas as well. Teva stated that the national launch is planned for 2020, and that these early releases will serve as a means of gathering data.<a href="https://proddocwire.wpengine.com/conference-coverage/asthma-copd-overlap-what-is-known-and-what-is-not/">READ MORE:&nbsp;Asthma-COPD Overlap: What Is Known and What Is Not</a>&ldquo;Offering a tool that enables doctors to see data on their patients&rsquo; inhaler usage will allow them to have more productive conversations about identifying issues and how to manage their illness,&rdquo; said Tushar Shah, M.D., Teva SVP of global specialty clinical development.The news of this FDA-approval comes nine months after Adherium&rsquo;s SmartinhalerTm sensor received 510(k) clearance from the FDA. This sensor works with AstraZeneca/&rsquo;s Symbicort aerosol asthma inhaler, and is installed into the patient&rsquo;s inhaler to promote and monitor asthma and COPD medication adherence. Similar to ProAir Digihaler, Smartinhaler also records dates and times of inhaler use and translates this data to an app. Digital inhalers such as these follow the trend of incorporating convenient technology into therapeutic devices that have long been in use.<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/o_GWLYyBZmk" width="853" height="480" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>&ldquo;The FDA approval of ProAir Digihaler is significant because it may help patients track their inhaler usage and provide data that can be used to work more closely with their HCPs on their asthma management,&rdquo; claimed Tonya Winders, president and CEO of the Allergy &amp; Asthma Network. &ldquo;This approval is a major step forward and is indicative of how medications are evolving through technological innovations.&rdquo;<a href="https://proddocwire.wpengine.com/conference-coverage/guidance-for-identifying-severe-asthma/">READ MORE:&nbsp;Guidance for Identifying Severe Asthma</a>The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported in 2016 that roughly 26.5 million Americans are living with asthma, and around 1.7 million emergency department visits resulting from asthma symptoms occurred in 2015. With asthma management being largely in the hands of the patient, devices that bolster medication adherence are imperative to improve outcomes. Incorporating this smartphone linked software into the inhaler not only keeps the device at pace with evolving technology, but helps monitor adherence and correct errors with treatment dispensing as well.&ldquo;One of the challenges physicians are faced with in caring for their asthma and COPD patients is knowing if their patients are using their inhaled medication as they should. That&rsquo;s what makes a product like this so important to doctor-patient discussions,&rdquo; said Shah. &ldquo;Offering a tool that enables doctors to see data on their patients&rsquo; inhaler usage will allow them to have more productive conversations about identifying issues and how to manage their illness.&rdquo;<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
The U.S. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FDA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FDA</a> has approved <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Teva?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Teva</a>&rsquo;s ProAir&reg; Digihaler; the first and only <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/digital?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#digital</a> inhaler with built-in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/sensors?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#sensors</a> <a href="https://t.co/V8aRbL3iR4">https://t.co/V8aRbL3iR4</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/digitalhealth?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#digitalhealth</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/pharma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#pharma</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/asthma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#asthma</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/health?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#health</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/medicine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#medicine</a> 
You can meet <a href="https://twitter.com/TevaUSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TevaUSA</a>&lsquo;s Head of Outbound Digital Channels <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidekHerron?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DavidekHerron</a> at <a href="https://twitter.com/SummitNext?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SummitNext</a> 2019 <a href="https://t.co/LV27wwxC1I">pic.twitter.com/LV27wwxC1I</a>
&mdash; NEXT Pharma Summit (@SummitNext) <a href="https://twitter.com/SummitNext/status/1080396372887650310?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2019</a>
</blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>Sources:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.genengnews.com/news/teva-wins-fda-approval-for-digital-inhaler-combining-powder-with-sensors-app/">Genengnews</a>, <a href="https://www.mobihealthnews.com/content/tevas-digital-inhaler-cleared-fda">MobiHealthNews</a>

MarkAlain Déry, DO

The Significant Danger Measles Pose for Unvaccinated Children

Infectious Disease

Andrew Moreno

Antithrombotic Care in Hemophilia: A Summary of Multi-Organizational Clinical Practice Guidance

Hemophilia

James Tumlin, MD

Joel M. Topf, MD, FACP

Proteinuria Remission With Sparsentan in FSGS

NKF Spring Clinical Meetings 2025

Latest News

Teva Receives FDA-Approval for Smartphone-Linked Digital Inhaler

Telemedicine

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has recently received FDA-approval for their one-of-a-kind digital inhaler with built in sensors and companion mobile app. Named ProAir ...

About Us

Editorial Policy

Advertising

Contact Us

eNewsletters

Contribute

Career Center

MashupMD

Blood Cancers Today

Cancer Nursing Today

GU Oncology Now

Urban Health Today

Bile Duct Cancer

Colorectal Cancer

Gastroesophageal Cancer

Gastric Cancer

GEP-NETs

GIST

Liver Cancer

Pancreatic Cancer

GI Oncology Now

Anemia

Deep Vein Thrombosis

Essential Thrombocythemia

Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Myelodysplastic Syndromes

Myelofibrosis

Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Polycythemia Vera

Pulmonary Embolism

Sickle Cell Disease

Thrombocytopenia

Thrombophilia

Thrombosis

Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Venous Thromboembolism

von Willebrand Disease

Heme Today

Acute Kidney Injury

ADPKD

Anemia and Kidney Disease

Chronic Kidney Disease

COVID-19 and Kidney Disease

Diabetes and Hypertension

End-Stage Renal Disease

Gout

Hyperkalemia

IgAN

Kidney Transplantation

Metabolic Acidosis

Nephrology Times

HER2 Breast Cancer

HR Breast Cancer

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Genetics & Breast Cancer

Breast Cancers Today

Atherosclerotic Disease

Atrial Fibrillation

Heart Failure

Hypertension

Interventional Cardiology

Lipid Management

Practice Tips With Dr. Lichaa

Preventive Cardiology

Stroke

Cardiology

Breast Cancer

Gynecologic Cancer

Head and Neck Cancer

Skin Cancer

Oncology

Sleep

Urology

Diabetes

Ophthalmology

— Demodex Blepharitis

Neurology

Rheumatology

Gastroenterology

Pulmonology

Infectious Diseases

— HIV

Health and Wellness

Lupus

Future of Medicine

Orthopedics

Pharmacology

Career News

More

Conferences

CardioNerds

The Sleep Source With Dr. Morse

Rheumatology Rounds With Dr. Maheswaranathan

Partners

Expert Interviews

Subscribe