Visionhealth cooperates with Boehringer Ingelheim

With its app, the start-up wants to help people with lung disease to use inhalation devices. Many make mistakes, which can lead to serious illnesses.

The Munich-based start-up Visionhealth has announced that it is working together with the pharmaceutical giant Boehringer Ingelheim. More specifically, it is working on the Kata app, which is already certified as a medical device. It is designed to provide targeted support for people with chronic lung diseases during inhalation.

According to Visionhealth, there is a need for this topic because the correct use of the inhalation device is a decisive factor for the success of therapy. However, studies have shown error rates of between 32 and 100 percent. This leads to problems: If inhalation is incorrect, less active ingredient reaches the lungs. In the long term, this can lead to more severe disease progression. Another solution would be to repeatedly train patients. However, according to the start-up, this is often not possible in practice due to a lack of resources.

The application uses the smartphone camera and artificial intelligence to support correct inhalation. The aim is to get the right dose of medication into the lungs. The app then informs patients how successful an inhalation was. Symptom and therapy records are intended to support doctors in making treatment decisions.

Martin Beck, Head of Human Pharma Germany at Boehringer Ingelheim, is delighted with the collaboration: "The app is the ideal addition to Boehringer Ingelheim's broad inhalation portfolio, which ensures that patients are optimally supported in the use of their inhalants and that the active ingredients reach the lungs. Visionhealth CEO Sabine Häußermann adds: "With 100 years of experience in the treatment of lung diseases, Boehringer Ingelheim is a leader in the field of respiratory diseases."