Biopharmaceutical company, Pfizer, has teamed up with IBM’s Internet of Things (IoT) technologies in a research collaboration to develop remote monitoring solutions for patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease. The solutions will rely on a system of sensors, mobile devices, and machine learning to provide real-time information to clinicians and researchers.

The goal is to obtain a better understanding of the patient as the disease progresses, by accurately measuring a variety of health indicators, such as motor function, dyskinesia, cognition, sleep and grooming, according to the announcement. Researchers could also gain the insight and real-world evidence necessary to speed up development of new and better therapies.

Peter Bergethon, vice president and head of quantitative medicine at Pfizer, explained that the system prototype has not been build yet, but it would be noninvasive and easy to use, reported Forbes. It might be a wearable sensor on the elbow or wrist, which would connect to other sensors or medical devices through online computer networks.
Since Parkinson’s disease affects the central nervous system, patients require ongoing adjustments to medication depending on the progression of the disease and the response of the patient.

“We have an opportunity to potentially redefine how we think about patient outcomes and 24/7 monitoring, by combining Pfizer’s scientific, medical and regulatory expertise with IBM’s ability to integrate and interpret complex data in innovative ways,” said Dr. Mikael Dolsten, president of Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, in a statement.

The two companies will assemble an external advisory board of patient groups, advocacy organizations, clinicians, and neuroscientists for guidance on the use of technology, medical devices, data management, and research protocols.

Pfizer is aiming to begin a clinical trial in 2018 and will enroll up to 200 research participants, both control subjects and patients with Parkinson’s who are already undergoing therapies to manage symptoms, Forbes added.

The experiment will take place at IBM’s research center, where an experimental apartment will be built, according to TechCrunch. While sensors in the living room would signal a patient doing something, the body sensors would be more precise in measuring the actual activity.

According to Ajay Royyuro, director of the Computational Biology Center at IBM Research, the solution has to be robust enough that it can be used across hundreds or even thousands of homes.

Approximately 600,000 Americans are diagnosed with Parkinson’s each year and an estimated 10 million people suffer from the disease worldwide.

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