UCB has announced the launch of Nile AI, a separate company, with the aim of developing an epilepsy care management platform. According to UCB, the idea of the platform is to act as an extension of the healthcare provider and offer patients peace of mind between consultations, with the ultimate goal of shortening the path to optimal treatment.
Nile’s digital platform consists of a patient app and healthcare provider portal. The company claims the patient app is an intuitive, smart tool for patients to feel connected with their care team, learn about their journey, and understand their progress. The health care provider portal shows the status of their patients at a glance, virtually informs and supports their patients in between appointments, and allows data-driven decisions on treatment and care. Nile is currently testing the platform in usability studies with two US healthcare systems, Massachusetts General Hospital and Michigan State University Healthcare. The platform is expected to be commercially available in 2021.
“We know that patients suffering from epilepsy struggle with the unpredictable nature of their lives,” said Leo Petrossian (Los Angeles, USA), chief executive officer of Nile AI. “Every single day they awake uncertain of what they can expect. At Nile, we believe that all of the data to predict the path of an epilepsy patient exists, though it is fragmented and disconnected. We are building a comprehensive care management system for addressing this uncertainty in the lives of people suffering from epilepsy,” he added.
UCB states they have made a €25 million (£22.2 million; US$29.3 million) investment in the new company, making them a majority shareholder.
“UCB has a deep understanding of epilepsy and the challenges that people living with the disease face every day, including how patients communicate with their healthcare providers. We think Nile’s platform can provide valuable insights and foster a better care management experience for people living with epilepsy,” said Charl Van Zyl (Cape Town, South Africa), executive vice president, head of neurology solutions and international markets at UCB. “The launch of Nile is a further illustration of UCB’s commitment and leadership in epilepsy, and how digital platforms can help provide transformational outcomes and experiences for patients.”
