Pfizer cancer research study shows wearable digital technology holds promise

Pfizer's promising research to treat a dangerous cancer-related disease also helps prove the value of wearables in clinical trials.

In September, the pharmaceutical giant reported results that showed an experimental antibody could have positive effects on people with cachexia, a complication sometimes called “wasting syndrome” that can cause people with cancer to lose weight and receive worse treatments tolerated. In the study, people randomized to a 400-milligram dose of the treatment called ponsegromab experienced an average weight gain of nearly 3 kilograms compared to people taking placebo.

While the weight gain was significant, experts said at the time that the study's secondary endpoints, including patient-reported outcomes and physical activity measured with a wearable, provided a more nuanced picture of how the treatment affected patients. Specifically: Patients with the 400 mg dose had 72 minutes of additional non-sedentary activity per day compared to placebo, as measured with a wearable. The researchers noted that this could provide a clinically meaningful improvement in function, allowing patients to perform everyday activities such as showering, dressing and light household tasks.