Elsa Science receives grant from Medtech4Health to develop software-driven CBT interventions
Rheumatic autoimmune diseases, affecting people from childhood to old age, are incurable and associated with severe pain, joint damage, disability and decreased working ability. The estimated cost of these diseases are €10,000 per patient per year¹, leading to substantial burden on the individual and society when taking into account the average life expectancy after diagnosis of more than 30 years.
Research is showing that lifestyle changes can improve the treatment effect in combination with effective medication and also lower the cost and burden of this disease². However, to support habit forming lifestyle changes, adherence and self efficacy, something more than visits at the doctor is needed; enter Digital Therapeutics (DTx). These new interventions, built on clinical evidence and behaviour psychology have been utilised for a variety of disease areas, including respiratory disease, mental health, diabetes, oncology and gastrointestinal disease and are also used in the patient’s self care. Elsa Science now aims to build one of the most effective digital therapies within rheumatology.
Today we have a self monitoring tool that is based on, and utilising scientific research within rheumatology. The tool helps patients having rheumatic disease to understand how adherence and lifestyle habits affect their health and disease activity. However, with this new initiative we will improve the service with valuable features derived from behavioral and cognitive psychology, says Sofia Svanteson, CEO of Elsa Science.
Together with psychologist Niklas Laninge, and behavioral strategist Gabriella Stuart both working at PBM Sweden AB, Elsa Science will add features based on personalised cognitive behavioural therapy to the Elsa app. This, together with the current features in the self-monitoring tool, will facilitate behavioral change and the coping needed when diagnosed with a rheumatic chronic condition. The ambition is to empower the app user in her / his self care to better navigate through, and adapt in the new life changing situation. The end goal is to reach remission and a “new normal” faster to be able to live life to its fullest.
Working with the Elsa Science team has been a match made in heaven since day one. The company has a robust understanding of what it means to live with rheumatoid arthritis, a stellar product and design team and a genuine passion for anything science-based. This all made it easy for us to add a behavioral perspective helping the team improve the product to ensure lasting behavioral change for people living with rheumatoid arthritis, says Niklas Laninge, psychologist at PBM.
About Elsa Science
Elsa Science is a platform for finding, and following up on, the right treatment to the right patient. The company was founded by Sofia Svanteson, Sebastian Evans, Pelle Almquist, Lovisa Afzelius and the Riskminder Foundation.
www.elsa.science
For more information please contact
Sofia Svanteson, CEO
sofia@elsa.science
1. Frankie et al. Clin Exp Rheumatol. Jul-Aug 2009;27(4 Suppl 55):S118–23.
2. Klareskog et al. Journal of Internal Medicine. May 2020; 287(5):S514–533.
