Multiple Myeloma (MM) is a common blood cancer. Multiple Myeloma patients suffer from several disease- or treatment-related symptoms. Thus, symptom management is an important part of treating MM, and easing symptoms helps in improving patients’ quality of life. Digital symptom tracking has been shown to improve overall survival and quality of life amongst metastatic cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. However, a similar approach has not been adapted for supporting Multiple Myeloma patients.
In order to bridge this unmet need, Finnish health data science company Kaiku Health that develops personalised digital health interventions in oncology, and one of the world’s leading biotechnology companies Amgen have partnered to advance the use of digital symptom management and personalised patient support in routine care of Multiple Myeloma in Finland.
“The Multiple Myeloma module of Kaiku Health was developed in close collaboration with Turku University Hospital’s hematology unit in Finland. The Multiple Myeloma module was first implemented there in routine care in 2017. Results presented at EBMT 2018 show that patients are engaged in their follow-up, digital monitoring supports patients’ daily lives, improves effectiveness of clinical workflow and generates important insights on health outcomes” says Lauri Sippola, Co-Founder and CEO at Kaiku Health.
Niilo Färkkilä, Country Director of Finland at Amgen comments, “Co-creation between hospitals, life sciences and innovative digital health companies is the key for driving value-based healthcare. In Finland pioneering is part of our mentality and hospitals are open to improving their current processes by applying new technologies. This makes Finland an excellent testbed for novel solutions like Kaiku Health.”