Kaia Health Now World’s Most Widely Available Digital COPD Treatment with Approval for Prescription Covering 73 Million People in Germany

New York, NY, February 16, 2023 –  Kaia Health the largest global digital therapeutics company on a mission to make high-quality, evidence-based therapies accessible to anyone, anytime, today announced that Kaia COPD, a digital application for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), has been included in the DiGA directory by the German Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM) as a digital health application (DiGA) and can now be prescribed by medical providers and will be covered by statutory health insurance. Kaia COPD is based on the national treatment guidelines for chronic respiratory disease. The digital application helps those affected to improve their health-related quality of life and physical performance.

According to the CDC, over 15 million Americans suffer from COPD and over 150,000 die each year. That’s one death every 4 minutes. Early detection and effective management are critical to improving the quality of life for those suffering from COPD.  Leading experts from the field of inpatient pulmonary rehabilitation were involved in the development of Kaia COPD, which makes important elements of pulmonary rehabilitation available in digital form via smartphone or tablet and enables patients with COPD to use a comprehensive therapeutic program anytime, anywhere.

Efficacy of Kaia COPD proven in clinical studies

The efficacy of Kaia COPD has already been investigated twice in RCT (randomized control trial) for patients with COPD. In the pilot study Rassouli et al. (2018) found a clinically relevant improvement in health-related quality of life for patients who used the  Kaia COPD app. The randomized controlled AMOPUR study showed an improvement in the health-related quality of life and an improvement in physical activity for patients in the Kaia COPD app group. A systematic data analysis with 104 patients in Germany has yielded equally positive results: over a period of twelve weeks, a statistically significant improvement in health-related quality of life (COPD Assessment Test Score) and physical performance (1-minute sit-to-stand test) could be observed. This proves the medical benefit of the Kaia COPD app is directly relevant to patients.

Professor Rembert Koczulla, MD, pulmonologist and chief of medicine at Schön Klinik Berchtesgadener Land, a leading pulmonology specialist hospital, and one of the co-authors of AMOPUR study says “I see the effects of COPD on the quality of life of my patients every single day. Our research has shown that the Kaia COPD app helps sustain the positive effects of pulmonary rehabilitation. It is so critical for COPD patients to remain active to improve their health-related quality of life, and I am happy to see that Kaia COPD as an effective and convenient treatment option is now available to even more patients in the future.”

Nigel Ohrenstein, President of Kaia Health said “The bar for approval by BfArM is exceptionally high and this approval is a testament to our commitment to both clinical excellence and developing solutions that enable easy access to care and are cost-effective”. To date, only 22% of applications to BfArm have been approved, which further illustrates what a clinical achievement this is.

Expanding Support for Chronic Conditions

Kaia now offers groundbreaking solutions for both MSK and COPD. Ohrenstein added “We will continue to deliver on our mission to make clinically proven, affordable solutions available to patients anywhere, anytime that will dramatically improve their quality of life”. Scaling support for COPD patients in Germany lays an important foundation for bringing relief to the 15 million COPD patients in the United States.

Digital Coach Ensures Safe and Correct Execution

The Kaia COPD app uses its Digital Coach which uses artificial intelligence (AI) to support patients during exercises providing real-time visual and verbal feedback using only the smartphone or tablet camera, thereby supporting the safe and correct execution of the exercises.

About Kaia Health

Kaia Health is the world’s largest digital therapeutics company on a mission to empower millions of people to live their healthiest lives. Our evidence-based treatments, covering a range of conditions, including musculoskeletal pain and COPD, are powered by proprietary motion analysis technology and clinical expertise.  No sensors or wearables are required, Kaia’s programs need only a smartphone to deliver the most accessible, effective, and equitable experience for all. Eleven clinical trials have shown Kaia’s effectiveness and safety to be as good as traditional care with up to 80% reduction in cost. Kaia Health is a member of the Digital Therapeutics Alliance (DTA) and is headquartered in NY and Munich. Kaia partners with leading health plans, employers, and providers, covering 60+ million lives around the world. Learn more at www.kaiahealth.com.