Verily, Otsuka to launch longitudinal mental health registry

Otsuka Pharmaceutical Development & Commercialization (Otsuka) and Alphabet-owned Verily announced the launch of My Mental Health Journey, a longitudinal registry study that aims to advance research in depression and mental health and, ultimately, support the development of more precise treatment options.

How will it work?

The My Mental Health Journey registry will enroll U.S.-based adults experiencing symptoms of depression to help Otsuka better understand mental health conditions, such as major depressive disorder, across time and in the real-world setting. Adults over the age of 18 will participate in this observational study by securely sharing their unique depression journeys through periodic, self-guided assessments and digital data collection. In addition to contributing to mental health and depression research, participants will gain access to the latest information on depression and other mental health-related topics and have a more streamlined path to participate in future clinical research studies.

My Mental Health Journey employs Verily Viewpoint, an end-to-end suite of solutions that powers evidence generation. This includes Verily's recruitment services and its longitudinal registry and multi-modal data platform. The registry was designed with participant experience at the forefront, drawing on best-in-class user experience, technology, and clinical expertise to understand the patient journey and engage diverse populations. Insights generated from the registry will be used by Otsuka to power future research, informing areas such as trial design, site selection, and health outcomes research.

My Mental Health Journey is now enrolling participants in the U.S. Participants in the study may receive compensation for study activities, educational resources, updates on future clinical studies, and other opportunities to help advance depression research.

On the record

"Depression is a leading cause of disability worldwide, with more than one in six U.S. adults reporting they are depressed or receiving treatment for depression," said John Kraus, M.D., Ph.D., executive vice president and chief medical officer at Otsuka. "Our work with Verily will enable us to improve our understanding of how people with depressive disorders receive care, ultimately informing specific treatments that can support patients earlier in their mental health journeys."

"We are excited to help usher in the age of precision for mental health care by leveraging multi-modal data to give a more complete picture of a person's individual journey through treatment," said Andrew Trister, MD, PhD, chief medical and scientific officer at Verily. "Our work with Otsuka offers the promise to accelerate the development and delivery of innovative treatments for depression to serve the millions of patients in need of safe, effective, and accessible care."

The context

Otsuka has worked with Verily since 2019 to apply novel clinical trial solutions across its product portfolio. As Otsuka and Verily expand the registry, they plan to integrate additional data sources with participant consent, launch additional cohorts and sub-studies, and develop novel digital biomarkers for further research.