GlaxoSmithKline has become the first in pharma to use Apple's ResearchKit software for a study that will combine an iPhone app and the device's sensors.

The Patient Rheumatoid Arthritis Data from the Real World (PARADE) study will look at the impact the disease has on patients' lives, but won't - for now - see the company use the technology to test a medicine.

Rob DiCicco, VP, clinical innovation at GSK, said: “Our goal is to engage with patients in a new way that integrates the research into their daily lives versus the traditional model that requires patients to travel to their doctors' offices. 

“By making research as easy and accessible as possible for patients, we have the potential to disrupt the model for how we conduct research in the future and ultimately improve patient health.”

The study will use the GSK PARADE iPhone app, which the firm built using Apple's ResearchKit software platform, augmenting it with technology from Medidata and POSSIBLE Mobile.

The PARADE App integrates with Apple's HealthKit and ResearchKit. The HealthKit developer tools were launched two years ago to integrate new apps into the iPhone's Health platform.

Meanwhile, ResearchKit, which helps users to gather data more frequently and more accurately from study participants using iPhone apps, has already been used in studies for autism, epilepsy and melanoma.

GSK's study will involve 300 patients over a three-month period and see GSK conduct surveys and use patients' own iPhone sensors to collect and track common symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, activity and quality of life measures.

The company isn't aiming to provide a diagnosis or treatment to sufferers, but says they will be able to view their own study data and learn more about their condition.

Addressing potential users of the GSK PARADE app the company said: “This App is part of an exciting new programme through which we will use patients' insights and therapeutic goals to improve medicine development. 

“Collecting data from mobile device may in the future also help reduce the burden of patients in clinical studies by reducing the frequency of doctor visits.

We sincerely believe your valuable insights will improve medicine development.”

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