COPD Foundation and Wellinks Collaborate to Evaluate Integrated Virtual COPD Management Solution

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — The COPD Foundation, a patient advocacy and research organization, and Wellinks, a digital health care company offering the first-ever integrated, virtual chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) management solution, today announced a partnership to recruit eligible patients for a new research study through the Foundation’s COPD Patient-Powered Research Network (COPD PPRN). 

Researchers plan to enroll between 100 and 150 adults with COPD for a 24-week prospective research study of the Wellinks solution. Wellinks combines virtual pulmonary rehabilitation, personalized health coaching, and monitoring through connected devices using a patient-friendly app.

The study aims to determine whether Wellinks can improve outcomes for patients with COPD by measuring the impact on health-related quality of life, health care resource utilization, and participant satisfaction. Impact will be assessed alongside additional measures such as pulmonary function and symptoms. The study is also designed to assess the engagement and utilization patterns of participants over time and in relation to adjustments in the program.

“We are passionate about ensuring that people with COPD have access to the best treatment options available,” said Ruth Tal-Singer, PhD, President and Chief Scientific Officer of the COPD Foundation. “We are excited to use our COPD PPRN to recruit individuals to assess this novel COPD management program. Especially after COVID-19, the Wellinks platform could be impactful in helping patients manage their health, and we look forward to learning more through this study.”

COPD is the third leading cause of death globally and one of the costliest chronic conditions in the U.S., with an estimated $49 billion spent annually.   “Clinical research is one of our top priorities at Wellinks — this collaborative study with the COPD Foundation is a critical milestone for demonstrating that our solutions have a positive clinical impact for patients. By working with the largest network of COPD patients ever established, this partnership will enable us to develop robust findings that will advance our solution and support our mission to help people live fully and breathe freely,” said Pooja Doshi, Director of Product Marketing for Wellinks.   This announcement comes on the heels of Wellinks announcing a $25 million funding round led by Morningside Ventures. The funding will support the development of additional clinical research studies examining both the clinical and economic outcomes of the virtual-first solution.