- Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic, autoimmune disease
form of arthritis that causes joint inflammation (swelling, pain,
stiffness) and occurs with skin condition psoriasis. It can also
affect the spine and known as a form of
spondyloarthritis.1
- An estimated one third of the one million Canadians living
with psoriasis also suffer from psoriatic arthritis
(PsA).2
- More than half of patients with PsA wait four or more
years for diagnosis, and the time to diagnosis has not
significantly improved in the last two
decades.3
MONTRÉAL, May 27, 2024
/CNW/ - Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. is pleased to announce
a partnership with Clarius Mobile Health (Clarius) as part of a
dedicated effort to aid in early detection of psoriatic arthritis
in Canada. By improving access to
ultrasound technology, rheumatologists will be able to identify
diagnostic markers sooner, and may positively impact the timeline
to diagnosis for PsA patients.
"At Novartis, we recognize the tremendous potential AI holds for
our industry and the healthcare landscape at large," said
Mark Vineis, Country President at
Novartis Canada. "The partnership with Clarius has the potential to
transform PsA detection, with the possibility of scaling to other
Immunology indications, across specialties and beyond Canada."
Novartis and Clarius share a commitment to improving
accessibility to medical imaging in Canada. This agreement will facilitate access
to handheld ultrasound devices for rheumatologists and deliver a
robust training, support and education journey through in-person,
virtual and asynchronous events. As a result of the partnership,
Novartis will generate evidence to measure and monitor adoption,
usage and impact, and determine how usage of ultrasound in routine
practice is related to early detection of PsA.
"The use of point-of-care ultrasound empowers us as
rheumatologists to aid in patient education and adherence, as well
as therapeutic confidence, to significantly enhance patient care,"
said Dr. Mohammad Bardi, Clinical
Instructor at the University of British
Columbia and Staff Rheumatologist, Vancouver General
Hospital. "The Clarius handheld ultrasound enables us to provide
the best care possible, especially in settings where access to the
sizeable cart-based ultrasound systems is not readily
available."
Clarius is a pioneer in the medical device field, miniaturizing
ultrasound technology to improve medical imaging accessibility.
Approved by Health Canada in 2022, the third generation Clarius HD3
boasts a product line of high-performance handheld ultrasound
scanners that wirelessly connect to clinician Apple and Android
smart devices with an AI-powered application. The Clarius app uses
advanced artificial intelligence technology to automatically
display an optimized image in real-time, enabling clinicians to
make informed decisions at the point of care rather than referring
patients to an imaging centre.
"We are inspired by Novartis' mission to improve care for PsA
patients and their novel approach to help accelerate diagnosis with
real-time ultrasound imaging," said Ohad
Arazi, President and CEO at Clarius. "We believe that this
type of partnership between a pharmaceutical and a medical
technology company can play a tremendous role in improving patient
outcomes and reducing the burden on our healthcare system.
About Novartis
Novartis is a focused innovative medicines company. Every day,
we work to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people's lives
so that patients, healthcare professionals and societies are
empowered in the face of serious disease. Our medicines reach more
than 250 million people worldwide. Reimagine medicine with us:
Visit us at https://www.novartis.com and connect with
us on LinkedIn, Facebook, X/Twitter and
Instagram.
In Canada, Novartis
Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc. employs approximately 600 people to
serve the evolving needs of patients and the healthcare system and
invests over $30 million in R&D
yearly in the country. For more information visit
www.novartis.ca.
About Clarius Mobile
Health
Clarius is on a mission to make accurate, easy-to-use, and
affordable ultrasound tools available to all medical professionals
in every specialty. With decades of experience in medical imaging,
the team knows that great ultrasound imaging improves confidence
and patient care. Today, AI-powered Clarius handheld wireless
ultrasound scanners connect to iOS and Android devices, delivering
high-resolution ultrasound images traditionally only available with
bulkier, high-end systems at a fraction of the cost. Almost 4
million high-definition scans have been performed using Clarius
wireless handheld scanners. Clarius scanners are available in over
90 countries worldwide. Learn more
at www.clarius.com.
Media Contact
Karla Fuentes
Arellano
Communications & Engagement Lead
E-mail: camlph.communications@novartis.com
+ 1 514 633 7873
448974E
References
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1
Arthritis Foundation. Psoriatic Arthritis. Available
at: https://www.arthritis.org/diseases/psoriatic-arthritis.
Accessed on May 9, 2024.
|
2
Canadian Association of Psoriasis Patients. Psoriasis
– Comorbidities. Available at:
https://www.canadianpsoriasis.ca/en/psoriasis/living-with-psoriasis/comorbidities. Accessed
on May 9, 2024.
|
3
Torjesen, I. (2020, November 24). Early diagnosis in psoriatic
arthritis is often missed. HCP Live.
https://www.hcplive.com/view/early-diagnosis-in-psoriatic-arthritis-is-often-missed. Accessed
on May 9, 2024.
|
SOURCE Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc.