Sanofi and Voluntis announced Tuesday an expanded agreement to deliver digital insulin titration solutions, including a mobile phone app designed to help improve decision-making and self-management of type 2 diabetes in patients treated with basal insulin. The companies added that the app will also enable remote monitoring by healthcare teams.

"Despite the availability of new medicines for the treatment of diabetes, we see that outcomes are not sufficiently improving and that more than half of patients are not well controlled," remarked Peter Guenter, executive vice-president of Sanofi's diabetes and cardiovascular unit. "With this in mind, Sanofi is focusing on a beyond-the-pill approach," Guenter said, adding "we know that diabetes management is a 24/7 job, and we recognise that the right tools need to be developed to realise better outcomes."

Under the expanded alliance, which extends the "scope and geography" of the initial agreement established in 2011, the companies said they will launch pilot programmes using the app in North America and several European countries. Last year, Voluntis' Insulia app, which supports the management of type 2 diabetes in adults treated with basal insulin, received FDA clearance and the CE mark.

Voluntis chairman Eriv Elliott commented "digital therapeutics allow manufacturers and payers to check whether agreed value metrics have been achieved and help to lower costs without compromising on patient outcomes and access. They ensure that prescription medications deliver the effects for which they were brought to market."