Lilly launches support app for patients with depression

Lilly has announced the launch of a new mobile application that will offer improved support for patients affected by depression.

The Talking Progress app for smartphones is designed to help patients better manage their own illness and improve their communication with healthcare professionals, addressing the communication and treatment adherence issues that are often barriers to effective care.

It allows users to keep a mood diary and make notes in preparation for their next appointment, encourages them to ask questions about their illness, provides relevant information and offers reminders to take medication, reports PharmaTimes.

Alan Lenox Smith, Lilly medical spokesperson, said: "We were able to create an interactive tool which allows patients to be active participants in their recovery through understanding their symptoms and improving communication with their healthcare professional."

The company is seeking to pursue growth in both the short and long term through the launch of innovative new products. It has 13 potential new medicines in the phase III testing or submission stage, with an additional 26 in phase II.