The US-based Parkinson’s Institute and Clinical Center has announced a partnership with Global Kinetics Corporation (GKC) in a pilot program that will provide Institute patients with access to an innovative mobile health technology.
The Personal KinetiGraph (PKG) is a wrist-worn device that offers comprehensive, automated reporting of a patient’s movements so that neurologists and other physicians can objectively assess symptoms and response to medications.
The PKG was developed at the Melbourne-based Florey Institute of Neuroscience & Mental Health. Privately-held GKC was established in 2007 to commercialise the PKG.
The PKG Data Logger features a vibrating medication reminder which allows patients to record when they have taken their levodopa medication as prescribed by their doctor.
The device is worn continuously for six consecutive days in the home environment and it records movement via a digital accelerometer.
The data recorded by the PKG Data Logger enables a report to be generated which visually illustrates for the clinician the severity of movement disorder symptoms in relation to the timing of levodopa medication, as well as valuable information on medication use.
According to co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Professor and neurologist Malcolm Horne, “GKC has long held the view that actionable data matters in Parkinson’s, and access to PKG data allows clinicians to provide optimum treatment, leading to enhanced quality of life for patients and superior health cost outcomes. When clinicians have PKG information they can make more informed decisions for optimal symptom management and ultimately enable improved quality of life. We look forward to working with the Parkinson’s Institute to make this important technology available and accessible to people living with Parkinson’s.”
“We are pleased to provide the PKG System to our patients,” added Dr Carrolee Barlow, CEO of the Parkinson’s Institute.
“Dr Horne developed the device to address a fundamental problem facing doctors trying to optimize the treatment of their patients with Parkinson’s. The PKG system delivers the data from the logger to the physician in a series of graphs—known as a Personal KinetiGraph—that the doctor can interpret and discuss with the patient in order to make better and more objectively informed decisions,” said Dr Barlow. “Dr Horne suggests that the algorithm and interpretation sets it apart from all the other 'wearable' technology which are used for personal health because this system has been FDA cleared to be used by doctors to assess a person Parkinson’s symptoms. We are thrilled to be able to partner with GKC to bring this innovative technology to our patients.”
The PKG technology received FDA clearance in September 2014 and is in the process of being adopted by clinics in the US. This technology is currently utilised by movement disorder clinicians across Europe, Asia and Australia.