Wearable DHTs Demonstrate Meaningful Treatment Benefits For Patients With Cancer Cachexia

In Pfizer's investigation of ponsegromab for treating cancer cachexia, digital health technologies (DHTs) played a crucial role in assessing patient-centric outcomes. Cancer cachexia affects around 50% of cancer patients, severely impacting survival and quality of life, yet there are no approved treatments. To address this, Pfizer incorporated wearable digital measures of physical activity and gait using the ActiGraph CentrePoint Insight Watch in their trials. These wearables tracked significant physical improvements, including decreased sedentary time and increased moderate activity and gait speed. In Phase 2, ponsegromab showed promising effects, with patients in the highest-dose group exhibiting meaningful weight gain, increased non-sedentary activity, and improved quality of life and symptom relief. This outcome supports ponsegromab as a potential therapy and highlights the value of DHTs in accurately capturing treatment impact on patients’ lives.