New Mobile Device Uses Breath to Monitor Opioid Adherence

nGageIT’s NanoSmart determines medication adherence with a biosensor that tests the patient’s breath.

Mobile Device Breathalyzer / Image: nGageIT
Mobile Device Breathalyzer / Image: nGageIT

Curbing drug abuse and improving compliance is top of mind for many drug companies in the midst of the opioid epidemic. A recent MobiHealthNews article reported on a new device that uses a patient’s breath in order to determine medication adherence. The product, NanoSmart, was developed by Toronto-based digital health company nGageIT.

The platform’s special sauce is a biosensor detection technology that fits into a smartphone, dubbed the “Noz.” When a patient breathes into the Noz, an interior dongle detects ingestible nanoparticles of drugs and sends the information to a mobile phone. It’s also capable of sending adherence data to a doctor or the patient’s EHR via the cloud.