MeadWestvaco Corp. (MWV) has received a grant to provide its Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS) to The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in projects to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.
MEMSCap Medication Event Monitoring System is able to record and store up to 3,800 dosing events. It is child-resistant and works with standard vials in a range of sizes. Essentially, MEMSCap records the date and time whenever a patient opens a vial, using integrated microcircuits. There are two MEMSCap options: TrackCap and SmartCap. Both wirelessly transfer dosing data when used in conjunction with a MEMSCap reader. SmartCap also features an LCD readout that displays the number of doses taken in the past 24 hours and the hours elapsed since last dosing.
Studies of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medications against the HIV/AID virus work if researchers are able to track medication use. Pre-exposure medication only works if people remember to take it. So MeadWestvaco Corp. (MWV) has received a grant to provide its Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS) to The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for use in the foundation’s new demonstration projects on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medications to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa and India. The four studies launched in October this year.
Orally administered PrEP medications are given to high-risk but HIV-negative people, and have been shown to prevent transmission of the virus when people are adherent to their medication program. MWV’s MEMS System measures, monitors, and improves adherence to dosage regimens. It has previously been used in studies for HIV medications including Gilead’s TRUVADA, the first oral HIV medication the FDA approved for PrEP.
Bernard Vrijens, PhD, chief science officer, MWV Healthcare, explained, “PrEP medications are transforming the way we approach the global HIV/AIDS battle, offering a promise of protection against this deadly virus. However, this transformational intervention is only effective when people adhere to the prescribed dosing regimen. MWV Healthcare is grateful for the opportunity to join with the Gates Foundation in this important research, helping to understand and increase adherence to these life-changing medications.”
The projects are using MEMSCap smart electronic medication packaging. Each time the medication bottle is opened, data is wirelessly transferred to MWV Healthcare’s MedAmigo platform, a secure, web-based program for data analysis and modelling.
During the foundation’s trials, MWV’s scientific staff will analyse adherence data and provide trial coordinators with real-time feedback about each participant’s adherence. This real-time feedback to patients has been shown to be the most effective adherence intervention available. In recent draft guidance, FDA recommended using smart medication packaging to measure and enhance adherence in clinical trials.
MWV Healthcare’s MEMS System has been used in nearly a thousand clinical trials, demonstrating the proven link between medication adherence and efficacy.
