"We are extremely excited to be announcing our collaboration with Lilly," comments Dr. Tryggvi Thorgeirsson, CEO and Co-Founder of Sidekick. "Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and is sadly a disease that will likely affect everyone's lives at some point, whether directly or indirectly. Breast cancer is one of its most prevalent forms. At Sidekick, it is our goal to empower patients to take real steps toward better managing their disease and alleviating the negative side effects of treatment. Cancer treatment often leaves patients physically and emotionally drained and, as a result, we are making it as easy and convenient as possible to access life-saving guidance by bringing healthcare into people's homes."
The collaboration will mark the first phase of Sidekick and Lilly's relationship. The integrated digital therapeutics offering will be initially rolled out in Germany where, according to the World Health Organization, there were 69,697 new cases of breast cancer in 2020, representing 24.5% of all cancers affecting females that year, and 11.1% of cancers affecting all sexes[1]. This further expansion of Sidekick's portfolio to treat breast cancer will be tailored to support the needs of patients
within Lilly's oncology treatment programs.
"Breast cancer takes a toll on an individual's physical and mental health, making support of both extremely important during the treatment journey," said Rich Carter, Lilly's Chief Digital Officer. "This collaboration combines Lilly's expertise in digital health and medicine development with Sidekick's deep knowledge in behavioral research and digital therapeutics to work towards better outcomes for people with breast cancer. This platform will allow us to extend the reach of our digital solutions and bring on-demand and in-the-home solutions to patients when and where they need them most."
Through Sidekick's unique platform, patients will be given access to a tailored digital treatment plan that engages in health-improving tasks, which promote behavior modification and overcome barriers to change. Sidekick's solution focuses on five main areas: physical activity, tailored diet, sleep, stress management, and medication adherence, the latter representing a significant obstacle to recovery in patients undergoing cancer treatment. Patients will also be given access to educational content that has been created in close collaboration with clinical experts and patient advocacy groups, helping to provide them with unique insights into living with cancer.
The launch of this digital solution for breast cancer patients in Germany, as well as patients on a branded Lilly medication, is being scheduled for July of this year. Next steps for collaboration are being considered, including other international markets.
About Sidekick
Sidekick is a digital therapeutics innovator, founded by two passionate medical doctors on a mission to improve the health of humanity. Sidekick is driven by a vision to bring healthcare into people's everyday lives, empowering them to take control of their own health. Sidekick's therapeutics are developed and delivered with digital technology, addressing the same endpoints as traditional treatments such as small molecule drugs and biologics, but with the added benefit of giving people the opportunity to be actively involved in their own treatment. When combined with traditional treatments, the overall efficacy can be strongly increased. That is why Sidekick partners with the world's most innovative companies across the healthcare spectrum. Sidekick has offices in Berlin, Boston, Reykjavik and Stockholm.
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