It’s that time of year again where we reflect on all the progress we’ve made the past year. 

Take a walk down our Rune Labs 2023 memory lane: 

January: We kicked off the year with a special feature of StrivePD on national TV, WPTV. CEO and Founder, Brian Pepin, and original creator of StrivePD and PAP board member, Aura Oslapas, discussed how people with Parkinson’s use StrivePD as a daily companion tool to help manage their disease better. Aura speaks to her own experience living with PD and using StrivePD in her daily life.  

The first week of January also means JPM week for Rune Labs. We hosted our very first JPM breakfast with industry leaders making a difference in the Parkinson’s community, and also represented the company at the 3rd Annual Neuroscience Innovation Forum by Sachs Associates. Along with the other panelists, Brian Pepin discussed new approaches to Parkinson’s and movement disorders by utilizing our technology and wearables. 

Rune Labs also had the honor of being included in Built In’s 2023 Best Places to Work in San Francisco. 

February: Medical Liaison, Amanda Hare, wrote about the relationship between people with Parkinson’s and their clinicians, the challenges and problems with care today, and how a tool like StrivePD could change things for the better. At Rune Labs, we are committed to improving the lives of those with PD and other neurodegenerative diseases. 

Our 510(k) clearance was also published in the Practical Neurology Report on new drugs and devices for neurological conditions approved or cleared by the FDA. It is inspiring to see the continued research and development in the neurological space. 

March: We launched our clinical trials platform, StriveStudy, which aims to bring our precision neurology approach into drug development. Cell therapy developer, BlueRock Therapeutics, was the first to deploy StriveStudy to remotely collect real-time patient data and monitor patient compliance in the research study. 

April: Brian Pepin and Aura Oslapas, were featured on the Empowered Patient podcast hosted by Karen Jagoda. In this episode, the two reminisce on how they initially met and their mutual goal to change the lives of people with Parkinson’s disease. Brian also shared how Rune Labs is making precision neurology a reality for patients with Parkinson’s, and why StrivePD is an important tool to help improve and manage care. 

May: Rune Labs participated in the Parkinson’s Foundation Moving Day San Francisco. Catch us next year throughout the United States. 

In May, lead neuroscientist, Ro’ee Gilron, along with his other co-authors’ research was featured in the Movement Disorders 2023 journal.  They explored the potential of personalized therapy in their recent publication on closed-loop aDBS. In the article, readers will understand the neurophysiological foundation of aDBS, current control policies, and practical difficulties for a successful patient-centered treatment. Ro’ee also sat down with Joe Roberts from NR Times where Ro’ee highlighted the power of data in Parkinson’s care and research. He talks about our role in personalized care and accelerating the race towards better treatments. 

Hosted by C-Star, RESTORE, Northwestern University, and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Rune Labs lead neuroscientist, Aiden Arnold, spoke at the Machine Learning and Sensors to Enhance Research workshop and industry panel. The panel explored opportunities where data analytics could push the field forward through machine learning and sensors. 

June: At the end of the month, we launched new product updates allowing users to access a comprehensive analysis of their tremor and dyskinesia data empowering them to take control of their Parkinson’s management. Similar to how a closed-loop continuous glucose monitor has transformed diabetes care, StrivePD transforms Parkinson's disease management. By wearing the watch consistently, patients can have meaningful conversations with their clinicians and develop personalized care strategies. Just as a continuous glucose monitor provides individuals with instant feedback on their glucose levels, StrivePD offers tremor and dyskinesia, both of which are FDA cleared measures. Users can have real-time data at their fingertips. 

Rune Labs VP of StrivePD Operations, Chase Babcock, sat down with Parkinson’s organization, 17 Branches, to discuss how people with Parkinson’s can utilize StrivePD as a companion tool. In this podcast, a StrivePD user also joins who shared his personal experience with the app and how it has improved his management.

Our team was featured in the Unite AI Interview Series featuring lead neuroscientist, Ro’ee Gilron. He discusses what drew him into the field of neuroscience, his early work with deep brain stimulation devices, precision neurology and developing therapies for Parkinson’s disease, and his work here at Rune Labs.    

July: We made our way to Barcelona for the World Parkinson’s Congress (WPC) conference. Our team represented at the exhibition booth where industry leaders and patient advocates were able to explore the StrivePD feature updates and receive in-person onboarding and demoing. It was incredible to hear from all thought leaders making an impact in the Parkinson’s community furthering research. Our team also spearheaded a project with the Bike to Barcelona group - the first cycling event to the World Parkinson Congress (WPC) designed to raise awareness and highlight the importance of exercise for people with Parkinson’s. 19 cyclists (9 with PD and 10 without) started from the UK and biked to the conference in Barcelona. For this partnership initiative, each cyclist used StrivePD on the Apple Watch and iPhone before, during, and after the duration of the cycling event to capture changes and correlations in symptoms and exercise. 

Rune Labs Chief Commercial Officer, Naveen Kumar, also joined Pharma’s Almanac’s roundtable discussing their excitement about the potential impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning on pharma/biopharma. Naveen talks about how predictive analytics, especially with Parkinson’s patients, combining high-quality symptom data and AI can enable accurate predictions across a slew of problems currently plaguing the field. Naveen was also featured in Pharma’s Almanac’s roundtable on how an increased focus on patient-centric concerns is influencing the way we work. He highlights how Rune Labs’ goal is to improve the care people with Parkinson’s today so that disease modifying therapeutics can be developed in the future. This people-centric approach to Parkinson’s disease innovation is integral to who we are, and we are proud to be one of the few companies of our size with a patient advisory board. 

We also were honored to participate in the Davis Phinney Foundation’s Every Victory Counts Challenge. StrivePD Patient Specialist and Physical Therapist, Brianna Hood, sat down with the DPF team to discuss StrivePD, the importance of exercising, and her own personal fitness goal for the challenge. Our team joined the DPF team and exercised our way through July. 

August: "While Parkinson’s remains a struggle, StrivePD has helped me realize the importance of exercise and how it dramatically reduces my mobility issues. It motivates me to stretch, lift weights, complete core workouts and visit my physical therapist twice a week. Exercise has dramatically reduced my symptoms and helps me control them." StrivePD user, Steven Ink, talks about his journey with PD and how he has been managing his Parkinson’s using StrivePD. The blog post was featured on the Parkinson’s Foundation’s PD stories and home page. This story is extra special because it brings our precision medicine for neurology mission full circle, showcasing not only the positive impact of our StrivePD software for people with Parkinson’s but a special connection within our very own team. Steven Ink’s son is a talented engineer on our team working on StrivePD, acting as an inspiring force in quest to deliver the best care possible. 

We made our way to sunny Florida for the Deep Brain Stimulation Think Tank XI. This year’s theme featured “pushing the forefront of neuromodulation.” Lead neuroscientist, Ro’ee Gilron, presented during the Industry Blitz session discing the data-driven exploration of multimodal data and multi-year trends in mobility data via wearables. 

We also attended the International Parkinson’s Movement Disorder Society (MDS) Congress in Copenhagen. Witney Chen, lead neuroscientist, presented a research poster on our preliminary findings of continuous estimation of Parkinson’s ON/OFF states using wearable devices. Ro’ee Gilron also presented patterns in Parkinson’s symptoms and identifying and predicting meaningful changes in symptoms. 

During MDS, we also announced that we partnered with Aspen Neuroscience, an autologous cell therapy biotechnology company, utilizing our clinical trials platform, StriveStudy, to deeply characterize symptom activity in Parkinson’s disease for the upcoming Trial-Ready Cohort Screening study. The non-interventional study will provide a comprehensive view of disease for potential participants in Aspen’s Phase 1/2a clinical trial evaluating the company’s personalized cell therapy candidate, ANPD001, for people with moderate to severe Parkinson’s Disease (PD). 

In August, we released examples on how the StrivePD Clinician dashboard empowers neurologists, movement disorder specialists, or physical therapists to track potential declines in your patients’ mobility over specific time periods. In today’s state, clinical specialists can view patient mobility metrics both pre- and post- intervention, utilizing passive data collected from StrivePD on the Apple Watch and iPhone. Our StrivePD and PD experts highlight how clinicians can understand their patients’ disease progression and gain insights into their quality of life beyond the clinic.  

September: The StrivePD team headed to Indianapolis for the 2023 Rock Steady Boxing (RSB) CoachCon at the NCAA Hall of Fame. We were honored to sponsor this year’s event and meet so many coaches, physical therapists, and individuals living with Parkinson’s from across the United States. With our partnership with RSB that was launched in July, users can now see their data from an RSB class and the impact it has on their symptoms. The data can also be shared with clinical specialists and RSB coaches to showcase symptom patterns between clinical visits to inform a more personalized care strategy. 

Clinical Systems Engineer, Hannah Timm, sat down with Judy Yaras and Travis Robinson from the podcast, I’m Not Dead Yet. In this episode, Hannah discusses what StrivePD is, how people with Parkinson’s can use it, and how users can gain analyses of their daily symptoms to better control their care journey. 

Pharma Almanac featured our team’s responses in September, touching on how our organization is leveraging real-world data / evidence (RWD and RWE) and what uses do we anticipate in the future. Lead Neuroscientist, Aiden Arnold, talked about how at Rune Labs, our goal is to better understand Parkinson’s disease through data generated from mobile devices and wearable technology. What makes our StrivePD platform unique is the ability to continuously collect and analyze data directly from patients in an automated way. 

Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer, Swati Reichmuth, also discussed pieces of conventional industry wisdom that she thinks are incorrect. She discussed how recent studies show that Parkinson’s disease is mismanaged, misdiagnosed, or not diagnosed at all, causing many patients to get lost in the healthcare system, unable to receive the best care possible. Bringing in tools like StrivePD, which can give a longitudinal view of a patient’s history, will allow for a better understanding of a patient’s symptoms and hopefully inform clinicians in making more effective and precise care decisions. 

In September, we partnered with the Parkinson’s Foundation to match every donation received for A Day to Reach Further campaign, up to $10,000. Our mission at Rune Labs with StrivePD is to help speed the development and delivery of precision neurology for Parkinson’s disease, and our team was excited to sponsor a program so closely aligned with this goal. 

October: We attended the HLTH conference were we received the Digital Health Hub Foundation and Digital Health Awards 2023 in the Rising Stars - Remote Diagnostic Device, Platform, or Tool category. This award was a honor for us, as we were selected from thousands of applicants transforming the healthcare space.  

In October, we launched a falls awareness fact sheet for people with Parkinson’s. PD is often associated with gait dysfunction and postural instabilities. This increases the risk of falls and subsequent consequences such as hospitalizations, fractures, head injuries and burden on healthcare resources. Tech like StrivePD can help individuals with PD understand their mobility metrics over time, including average walking speed, double support, and step length, empowering their care teams to help manage their moors symptoms through the power of data. As a community, let’s work together to raise awareness and provide insights into the causes of falls and recurrent falls in individuals with PD, and how we can collectively reduce their risk. 

We ended the month with an inspiring feature from STAT News. There is finally a new hope for patients with Parkinson’s Disease — the Apple Watch and StrivePD. While there is no cure for Parkinson’s and treatment options can be daunting, people with the disease can now turn to technology spawned by the Apple Watch to take an active role in their care much as continuous glucose monitors have helped people manage diabetes better. We're taking another significant stride at Rune Labs! To augment the user experience and proactively aid those managing symptoms, we're in the works of pioneering a feature that can predict symptom trends up to 60 minutes ahead on StrivePD. This prediction empowers users with timely alerts, enabling them to adjust medication timings, meal plans, or other interventions to their benefit. Notably, the watch's fall detection capability is a game-changer, considering falls are a prevalent concern for people with Parkinson's. With StrivePD, users can automatically record tremor and dyskinesia and gain analyses of their daily symptoms. This equips users to be better prepared when communicating with their clinicians and empowers them to take greater control of their care journey. The news was also picked up by Apple Insider and Forbes. 

November: “I’ve been using StrivePD for about six months, and what I love about StrivePD is I can use the app to help track my symptoms, physical activity, and medications. It is amazing that all my data is just passively collected. All I need to do is make sure I have my Apple Watch on my wrist and I’m good to go… Like most patients, having PD terrifies me. But if there is some way we can slow down progression, or maybe even reverse some of the movement problems, that’s a huge win in my book. Both RSB and StrivePD are empowering me to manage PD.” StrivePD user and Rock Steady Boxer, David Zanghi, talks about how he has been using StrivePD and attending RSB classes to help manage his disease. Read the full blog post here. 

Featured in Neurology Live, Rune Labs’ Medical Science Liaison and NP, Amanda Hare, talks about how Parkinson’s is extremely heterogeneous, and many patients remain undiagnosed or misdiagnosed due to the variability of the disease. In this opinion piece, Amanda shares how we can improve access to care in Parkinson’s by prioritizing early and accurate diagnosis of PD to expand virtual care options. By doing so, PwPD can receive timely access to therapies they need, leading to improved quality of life and better disease management. Here at Rune Labs, StrivePD, offers a solution by enabling patients and their clinicians to track and manage PD symptoms effectively. This tool represents a significant step in enhancing PD care, making early diagnosis and personalized treatment more accessible. Read her full story here. 

StrivePD Patient Specialist and Physical Therapist, Brianna Hood, sat down with Robin Barclay, host of Parkinson’s Empowerment podcast, physical therapist and Rock Steady Boxing coach to discuss how StrivePD provides people with Parkinson’s with an in-depth understanding of their health, including revolutionizing the way they communicate with their clinicians, leading to a more informed healthy journey. 

December: Our team spoke at ‘The Future of Parkinson’s Disease: Improving Care & Driving Research’ hosted by Parkinson’s Foundation and Parkinson’s Study Group. VP of StrivePD Operations, Chase Babcock, shared more information about StrivePD and our updates in R&D. 

As we step into the new year, we want to express our gratitude for the incredible team that has made a meaningful impact every step of the way. Thank you to our Patient Advisory Board, StrivePD users, and beta testers with Parkinson’s disease, and our StrivePD clinician users providing feedback and suggestions on how to continuously improve StrivePD. Thank you to our industry partners who are moving the needle in Parkinson’s R&D. While we celebrate our achievements, we recognize there is still much work ahead. We eagerly anticipate the ongoing journey to enhance patient outcomes for those facing neurodegenerative diseases. Here's to a promising and fulfilling 2024! We are excited to share what we have on the roadmap in the coming year — stay tuned!