Vectura and Propeller Health announce collaboration to develop digitally-connected inhalers to address chronic respiratory diseases

CHIPPENHAM, United Kingdom and MADISON, Wis., May 24, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Vectura Group plc (LSE: VEC) and Propeller Health, the leading digital health solution for respiratory medicine, today announced a collaboration to develop inhalers that combine Vectura's proven dry powder inhaler ("DPI") technology with Propeller's FDA-cleared digital health platform.

Vectura is a leading respiratory pharmaceutical company providing a range of pre-metered foil blister-based dry powder inhalers developed to meet patients' needs in inhalation therapy. The initial focus of the collaboration will be the development of an add-on sensor for Vectura's lever-operated multi-dose inhaler (LOMI). Patients with a Propeller-connected LOMI device will be more engaged with their care and better equipped to understand their disease and improve self-management.

The LOMI device leverages key attributes from Vectura's GyroHaler® device:

• Familiar user interface
• Foil blister strips of up to 60 pre-metered doses
• Used blister strip within device
• Key drug delivery components (especially drug contact components) sourced from GyroHaler^®

Propeller provides the leading digital health platform for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). With information from connected inhalers like LOMI, and its companion analytics and digital interfaces, Propeller helps individuals and their physicians improve the management and control of respiratory disease. The platform is used by more than 40 leading healthcare organizations across the US.

The companies are also discussing additional connected strategies for other proprietary respiratory devices in Vectura's pipeline.

James Ward-Lilley CEO, Vectura, commented:

"This announcement demonstrates Vectura's commitment to develop next generation inhalation devices that can help patients manage their respiratory diseases better. Adherence to therapy is one of the major issues driving poor maintenance management of these chronic conditions. There is increasing evidence of the value of intelligent sensor technology significantly enabling a reduction of symptoms, including exacerbations and long term healthcare utilisation costs. This collaboration is a first step towards Vectura embracing a connected solution for all our devices"

David Van Sickle, CEO, Propeller Health, commented:

"Digital health has the potential to make respiratory therapies more personal, powerful and convenient for every patient. We are excited to work with the team at Vectura to realize these benefits in a new generation of inhalers"

About Vectura

Vectura is an independent pharmaceutical product development company that focuses on the development of inhaled pharmaceutical therapies for the treatment of diseases that affect or can be treated with drugs that act on the airways (airways diseases), incorporating inhaled device formulation and clinical development. This segment of the pharmaceutical market includes significant indications such as asthma and COPD, in addition to a wide range of other indications including cystic fibrosis, pulmonary fibrosis and other diseases of the lung.

Vectura has eight⁽¹⁾ products marketed by partners with growing global royalty streams and a portfolio of drugs in clinical development, a number of which have been licensed to major pharmaceutical companies. Vectura has development collaborations and licence agreements with several global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, including Hikma (through its wholly-owned subsidiary, West-Ward Pharmaceuticals), Novartis, Sandoz, Baxter, GSK, UCB, Ablynx, Grifols, Janssen and Tianjin KingYork Group Company.

Vectura has established a pipeline focused on airways diseases, where all programmes are justified on the basis of technical feasibility and commercial attractiveness. The focus of Vectura's internal resource allocation is on Vectura's wholly-owned assets, in particular VR475 and VR647.

⁽¹⁾ Advate® came off patent at the end of January 2016. Vectura does not expect to receive any material royalties from that product during its financial year ending 31 March 2017, or thereafter.
For further information, please visit Vectura's website at www.vectura.com.

About Propeller Health
Founded in 2010, Propeller is the leading provider of an FDA-cleared digital health platform that helps reduce the cost of care while delivering better quality of life for individuals with chronic respiratory disease. Propeller provides better engagement, communication, and more insightful and personalized care. Backed by Safeguard Scientifics (NYSE: SFE), Social Capital, California HealthCare Foundation, Kapor Capital and other investors, Propeller has been used by patients with asthma or COPD in over 40 commercial programs across the US at major healthcare systems, payers, employers and other commercial partners. The company has been recognized as the recipient of the American Telemedicine Association's 2016 President's Award for Innovation in Remote Healthcare and as one of the top "Fierce 15" medical device companies in 2015 by FierceMedicalDevices. Recognition also includes TEDMED Innovation Showcase, White House Champion of Change, and Bluetooth Breakthrough Product awards.

Visit http://propellerhealth.com/contact/ to request more information.

Forward-looking statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements about the discovery, development and commercialisation of products. Various risks may cause Vectura's actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including: adverse results in clinical development programmes; failure to obtain patent protection for inventions; commercial limitations imposed by patents owned or controlled by third parties; dependence upon strategic alliance partners to develop and commercialise products and services; difficulties or delays in obtaining regulatory approvals to market products and services resulting from development efforts; the requirement for substantial funding to conduct research and development and to expand commercialisation activities; and product initiatives by competitors. As a result of these factors, prospective investors are cautioned not to rely on any forward-looking statements. We disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

SOURCE Propeller Health

Related Links

http://propellerhealth.com