Founded in 1781, Takeda Pharmaceuticals has expanded from its Japanese roots and has grown into a global industry leader. In 2019, Takeda acquired the UK-founded biotechnology firm Shire, which had previously integrated Baxalta, a biopharmaceutical company focused on rare diseases.
As a global leader in pharmaceuticals, Takeda is a trailblazer in the development of medical devices and regulated software for patients with chronic conditions. For patients with rare diseases, taking medication is just a small part of managing their condition. To live a full and healthy life, they need ongoing support from medical professionals along with complementary therapies and technologies.
Years back, Takeda sought to develop a digital device to revolutionize treatment for patients with hemophilia. Hemophilia is a rare genetic bleeding disorder that impairs the body’s ability to properly clot blood, causing potentially life-threatening bleeding episodes.
Medication helps manage the condition, but designing an effective treatment plan required patients to come into the clinic for numerous blood draws. This could require up to eleven blood draws over two days for patients, many of whom are children and teens.
The visionary product for Takeda was, therefore, to create a digital tool that would: