Digital Health App Shows Major Impact on Biologic Therapy Adherence

SAN JOSE, CA – January 07, 2026 – Digital health firm BrightInsight, in partnership with pharmaceutical giants Sanofi and Regeneron, has released compelling real-world data demonstrating that a dedicated mobile app can significantly improve how patients stick to complex, self-injected therapies. An analysis involving over 6,000 patients revealed that users of the "Patient App" had a 4% lower discontinuation rate and better overall adherence after one year compared to patients not using the digital tool.

The announcement highlights a pivotal success in the ongoing effort to solve one of healthcare's most persistent and costly challenges: medication non-adherence. With over 25,000 patients already using the app since its limited launch, the collaboration points to a future where treatment extends beyond the syringe and into the patient's daily life through integrated digital support.

Tackling the High Cost of Non-Adherence

The problem the app addresses is a massive one. According to the World Health Organization, adherence rates for long-term therapies in developed nations can be as low as 50%. The issue is particularly acute for self-administered biologic drugs, which are often prescribed for chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis. Industry studies show that between 35% and 63% of patients on these specialty treatments stop taking them within the first year.

This drop-off isn't just a commercial problem for drugmakers; it has severe clinical consequences, leading to disease progression, increased hospitalizations, and poorer health outcomes for patients. While the pharmaceutical industry has invested heavily in traditional Patient Support Programs (PSPs), often involving call centers and paper materials, their impact has been limited.

In this context, a 4% reduction in therapy discontinuation is a significant achievement. It represents thousands of patients remaining on a prescribed treatment for longer, potentially leading to better long-term management of their chronic condition. This measurable result provides strong evidence that well-designed digital interventions can outperform or substantially enhance traditional support models by offering personalized, real-time engagement that patients find easy to use.

A Digital Companion for a Complex Journey

The Patient App, developed on BrightInsight’s compliant digital health platform, was built to provide more than simple injection reminders. It offers a suite of personalized, drug-specific support features designed to integrate seamlessly into a patient's routine. While the specific biologic therapy supported by the app has not been publicly named—a common strategy to maintain a competitive edge—its success across multiple disease indications underscores the platform's adaptability.

"While patient apps have historically had limited impact, we’ve helped Sanofi and its partner Regeneron build a transformative digital solution that truly understands the patient’s disease journey," said Kal Patel, CEO and Co-Founder at BrightInsight, in a statement. He emphasized the app's potential for "meaningful expansion, across cohorts, indications, and geographic regions."

The rapid adoption by over 25,000 patients suggests the app has overcome a common hurdle for digital health tools: user engagement. By creating a user-friendly interface that delivers tangible value, the partners have developed a tool that patients are willing to incorporate into their care regimen, transforming the often-isolating experience of self-injection into a more supported and managed process.

Pharma's Strategic Pivot to 'Beyond the Pill'

This collaboration is more than just a successful app launch; it represents a key case study in the pharmaceutical industry's broader strategic shift toward "beyond the pill" solutions. Major companies like Sanofi are increasingly looking to wrap their therapeutic products in a layer of digital services to improve patient outcomes, demonstrate real-world value, and differentiate their products in a crowded market.

Sanofi's decision to expand its partnership with BrightInsight across key international markets and its wider specialty care portfolio signals a deep commitment to this digital-first strategy. It validates the return on investment for digital health, not just in patient goodwill, but in measurable improvements to therapy persistence.

"At Sanofi, we’re committed to transforming the patient experience through scalable, high-impact digital solutions," noted Emmanuel Frenehard, Chief Digital Officer at Sanofi. "With BrightInsight, we’ve developed a solution for patients that also delivers measurable impact in therapy adherence and persistence."

This move aligns with Sanofi's publicly stated goals of digital transformation, where technology is leveraged to create a more holistic patient experience. For chronic and specialty diseases requiring long-term management, such integrated digital tools are becoming a crucial part of the value proposition, helping to ensure that the efficacy shown in clinical trials translates to real-world effectiveness.

Navigating a Complex Global Regulatory Landscape

The planned global expansion of the app brings the complexities of the international regulatory environment for digital health into sharp focus. Deploying a regulated digital health solution across different countries requires navigating a patchwork of rules, including the U.S. FDA's guidelines for Software as a Medical Device (SaMD) and Europe's stringent Medical Device Regulation (MDR).

Furthermore, these apps must adhere to strict data privacy laws like HIPAA in the United States and GDPR in Europe, ensuring the security of sensitive patient health information. This is where a platform-based approach, like that offered by BrightInsight, becomes critical. The company positions itself as an expert in providing the compliant, pre-vetted infrastructure that allows pharmaceutical partners to build and scale these solutions without having to become regulatory and software experts themselves.

This model allows partners like Sanofi to focus on the clinical and user-facing aspects of the app, while BrightInsight handles the underlying regulatory, quality, and data security framework. As more biopharma companies seek to develop their own branded digital companions for flagship therapies, the demand for such robust, compliant platforms is expected to grow, creating a competitive market of enablers that help bridge the gap between medicine and technology. The success of this partnership serves as a powerful proof point for the value of this specialized expertise in bringing effective digital health solutions to patients worldwide.