Pear Therapeutics to Further Support Point32Health Members in Recovery from Substance Use Disorders

January 2022|Health EquityNewsPress Releases

Boston and Canton, Mass., January 13, 2022  Pear Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: PEAR), the parent company of Pear Therapeutics (US), Inc., the leader in developing and commercializing software-based medicines, called prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs), today announced an agreement with Point32Health, a leading health and wellbeing organization founded by Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, through which more of their members suffering from substance use disorder (SUD) or opioid use disorder (OUD) will have access to Pear’s FDA-authorized digital therapeutics and help them on their recovery journeys.

“At Point32Health, we pride ourselves at being at the forefront of innovation, working to identify, evaluate and implement new and emerging technologies on behalf of our members,” said Michael Sherman, MD, MBA, chief medical officer at Point32Health.  “We are delighted to again work with Pear Therapeutics to provide our members with high quality treatment options that will allow for tangible and measurable results.”

Digital therapeutics could play a critical role in care delivery throughout the pandemic and could make health care more accessible and convenient. Pear is pushing the boundaries of technology to transform medicine and is currently leading the development of the new therapeutics class of PDTs with three FDA-authorized products and a robust pipeline of product candidates across additional therapeutic areas. With Pear’s PDTs, patients have 24/7 remote access to their treatment program and to clinicians who can monitor progress to inform their treatment approach, regardless of physical proximity.

“We are pleased to enter into this relationship with Point32Health to further support their members with access to innovative, FDA-authorized treatments for addiction without fear of stigma,” said Julia Strandberg, Chief Commercial Officer at Pear Therapeutics. “Amid the pandemic and increasingly more potent substances and substance combinations, drug overdose deaths have risen to record levels. Our reSET and reSET-O PDTs are safe and effective treatments designed to help patients stay in recovery.”

Pear’s reSET and reSET-O, for the treatment of SUD and OUD, respectively, have been measured in real-world use and their therapeutic content studied in randomized controlled trials, with results published in peer-reviewed medical journals1,2. Pear recently released publications showing the potential for improved real-world health outcomes and decreased healthcare resource utilization for patients using reSET-O3-10. Both products, which are adjunctive to outpatient counselling, provide patients with cognitive behavioral therapy, fluency training, and contingency management, while clinicians receive access to clinical dashboards to inform in-office and tele visits.   

“Our members’ health, well-being and disease management is at the heart of everything we do,” said Jill Borrelli, LICSW, vice president of Behavioral Health at Point32Health. “We do all we can to bring innovative treatment options to our members suffering from this devastating disease. Given the impact of COVID-19 on those struggling with substance use disorder, it is more critical than ever that we provide our members with access to resources and treatments needed to support their recovery. Pear Therapeutics is a true collaborator, and we are excited to provide more of our members with access to this pioneering treatment option.”

About Pear Therapeutics
Pear Therapeutics, Inc., which is traded on Nasdaq as PEAR, is the parent company of Pear Therapeutics (US), Inc. Pear is the leader in developing and commercializing software-based medicines, called prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs). Pear aims to redefine care through the widespread use of clinically validated software-based therapeutics to provide better outcomes for patients, smarter engagement and tracking tools for clinicians, and cost-effective solutions for payers. Pear has the first end-to-end platform to discover, develop, and deliver PDTs to patients and a pipeline of products and product candidates across therapeutic areas, including the first three PDTs with disease treatment claims from the FDA. Pear’s product, reSET®, for the treatment of substance use disorder, was the first PDT to receive marketing authorization from the FDA to treat disease. Pear’s second product, reSET-O®, for the treatment of opioid use disorder, was the first PDT to receive Breakthrough Designation. Pear’s third product, Somryst® for the treatment of chronic insomnia, was the first PDT submitted through FDA’s traditional 510(k) pathway while simultaneously reviewed through FDA’s Software Precertification Pilot Program. For more information, visit Pear at www.peartherapeutics.com.

About Point32Health
Point32Health is a leading health and wellbeing organization, delivering an ever-better health care experience to everyone in our communities. Building on the quality, nonprofit heritage of our founding organizations, Tufts Health Plan and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, we leverage our experience and expertise to help people find their version of healthier living through a broad range of health plans and tools that make navigating health and wellbeing easier.

Our programs take a 360-degree view of health for our members—no matter their age, health, race, identity or income. Our Institute works to improve population health—and our Foundation works with communities to support, advocate and advance healthier lives for everyone. We use empathy to understand what’s important to those we serve, always making their priorities our own. And we work to guide and empower people by bringing together wide-ranging partners and perspectives to create new approaches that make a real difference for our community, our industry and our 2.2 million members across New England.

Important Safety Information from Pear Therapeutics about reSET

Indications for Use:
reSET is intended to provide cognitive behavioral therapy, as an adjunct to a contingency management system, for patients 18 years of age and older, who are currently enrolled in outpatient treatment under the supervision of a clinician. reSET is indicated as a 12-week (90 day) prescription-only treatment for patients with substance use disorder (SUD), who are not currently on opioid replacement therapy, who do not abuse alcohol solely, or who do not abuse opioids as their primary substance of abuse.

It is intended to:

  • increase abstinence from a patient’s substances of abuse during treatment, and
  • increase retention in the outpatient treatment program.

Important Safety Information for Clinicians:

Warnings: reSET is intended for patients whose primary language is English with a reading level of 7th grade or above, and who have access to an Android/iOS tablet or smartphone. reSET is intended only for patients who own a smartphone and are familiar with use of smartphone apps (applications).

Clinicians should not use reSET to communicate with their patients about emergency medical issues. Patients should be clearly instructed not to use reSET to communicate to their clinician any urgent or emergent information. In case of an emergency, patients should dial 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

reSET is not intended to be used as a stand-alone therapy for substance use disorder (SUD). reSET does not replace care by a licensed medical practitioner and is not intended to reduce the amount of face-to-face clinician time. reSET does not represent a substitution for a patient’s medication. Patients should continue to take their medications as directed by their healthcare provider.

Patients with substance use disorder experience mental health disease and co-morbid medical problems at higher rates than the general population. Patients with substance use disorder also have higher baseline rates of suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts, and suicide completion. Clinicians should engage in their normal care practices to monitor patients for medical problems and mental health disorders, including risk for harming others and/or themselves.

The long-term benefit of treatment with reSET on abstinence has not been evaluated in studies lasting beyond 12 weeks (90 days) in the SUD population. The ability of reSET to prevent potential relapse after treatment discontinuation has not been studied.

The effectiveness of reSET has not been demonstrated in patients currently reporting opioids as their primary substance of abuse.

This Press Release does not include all the information needed to use reSET safely and effectively. Please see the Clinician Brief Summary for reSET for more information. 

Important Safety Information from Pear Therapeutics about reSET-O

Indications for Use
reSET-O is intended to increase retention of patients with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) in outpatient treatment by providing cognitive behavioral therapy, as an adjunct to outpatient treatment that includes transmucosal buprenorphine and contingency management, for patients 18 years or older who are currently under the supervision of a clinician. reSET-O is indicated as a prescription-only prescription digital therapeutic.

Important Safety Information:

Warnings: reSET-O is intended for patients whose primary language is English with a reading level of 7th grade or above, and who have access to an Android/iOS tablet or smartphone. reSET-O is intended only for patients who own a smartphone and are familiar with use of smartphone apps (applications). Clinicians should not use reSET-O to communicate with their patients about emergency medical issues. Patients should be clearly instructed not to use reSET-O to communicate to their clinician any urgent or emergent information. In case of an emergency, patients should dial 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

reSET-O is not intended to be used as a stand-alone therapy for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). reSET-O does not replace care by a licensed medical practitioner and is not intended to reduce the frequency or duration of in-person therapy. reSET-O does not represent a substitution for a patient’s medication. Patients should continue to take their medications as directed by their healthcare provider.

Patients with opioid use disorder experience mental health disease and co-morbid medical problems at higher rates than the general population. Patients with opioid use disorder have higher baseline rates of suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts, and suicide completion. Clinicians should undertake standard of care to monitor patients for medical problems and mental health disease, including risk for harming others and/or themselves.

The long-term benefit of reSET-O has not been evaluated in studies lasting beyond 12 weeks (84 days) in the OUD population. The ability of reSET-O to prevent potential relapse after therapy discontinuation has not been studied.

This Press Release does not include all the information needed to use reSET-O safely and effectively. Please see the Clinician Brief Summary Instructions for reSET-O for more information.

References:

  1. Campbell ANC, Nunes EV, Matthews AG, et al. Internet-delivered treatment for substance abuse: a multisite randomized controlled trial. Am J Psychiatry. 2014;171(6):683-690.
  2. Christensen DR, Landes RD, Jackson L, et al. Adding an Internet-delivered treatment to an efficacious treatment package for opioid dependence. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2014;82(6):964-972. doi:10.1037/a0037496.
  3. Yuri A. Maricich, MD, Xiaorui Xiong, PhD, Robert Gerwien, PhD, Alice Kuo, BA Fulton Velez, MD MBA, Bruce Imbert, MD PhD, Keely Boyer, MBA, Hilary F. Luderer, PhD, Stephen Braun, BA, Karren Williams, PhD (2020): Real-World evidence for a prescription digital therapeutic to treat Opioid Use Disorder, Journal of Current Medical Research and Opinion, DOI:10.1080/03007995.2020.1846023.
  4. Fulton F. Velez , Sam Colman , Laura Kauffman , Charles Ruetsch & Kathryn Anastassopoulos (2020): Real-world reduction in healthcare resource utilization following treatment of opioid use disorder with reSET-O, a novel prescription digital therapeutic, Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research, DOI: 10.1080/14737167.2021.1840357
  5. Weijia Wang, Nicole Gellings Lowe, Ali Jalali & Sean M. Murphy(2021) Economic modeling of reSET-O, a prescription digital therapeutic for patients with opioid use disorder, Journal of Medical Economics, 24:1, 61-68, DOI: 1080/13696998.2020.1858581
  6. Yuri A. Maricich, Warren K. Bickel, Lisa A. Marsch, Kirstin Gatchalian, Jeffrey Botbyl & Hilary F. Luderer(2020) Safety and efficacy of a prescription digital therapeutic as an adjunct to buprenorphine for treatment of opioid use disorder, Current Medical Research and Opinion, DOI: 1080/03007995.2020.1846022
  7. Fulton F. Velez, Hilary F. Luderer, Robert Gerwien, Benjamin Parcher, Dylan Mezzio & Daniel C. Malone (2021) Evaluation of the cost-utility of a prescription digital therapeutic for the treatment of opioid use disorder, Postgraduate Medicine, DOI: 1080/00325481.2021.1884471
  8. Fulton F. Velez, Charles Ruetsch & Yuri Maricich (2021) Evidence of long-term real-world reduction in healthcare resource utilization following treatment of opioid use disorder with reSET-O, a novel prescription digital therapeutic, Expert Review of Pharmacoeconomics & Outcomes Research, DOI: 1080/14737167.2021.193968
  9. Fulton F. Velez & Daniel C. Malone (2021) Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of a Prescription Digital Therapeutic for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder, Journal of Market Access & Health Policy, 9:1, DOI: 1080/20016689.2021.1966187
  10. Yuri A. Maricich, Robert Gerwien, Alice Kuo, Daniel C. Malone & Fulton F. Velez(2021) Real-world use and clinical outcomes after 24 weeks of treatment with a prescription digital therapeutic for opioid use disorder, Hospital Practice, DOI: 1080/21548331.2021.1974243