After receiving FDA clearance for an insomnia digital therapeutic in March, Pear Therapeutics rolled it out on Tuesday. Called Somryst, the app consists of a six-to-nine-week program that uses sleep restriction and cognitive behavioral therapy to treat chronic insomnia.
Like Pear’s other treatments, it’s currently available by prescription only. But the company is taking a virtual approach to how it is distributed.
Users with insomnia can have a video or text consultation with a physician to see if they would be eligible for Somryst. If so, they will receive a prescription through pharmacy fulfillment services company Truepill.
It could be an intriguing option for the many people who have reported worse sleep during the pandemic. No medication is involved in the program. There’s just one aspect that might be a bit tough to swallow: the cost. Somryst is currently priced at $899, according to Pear’s website.
During the initial weeks, users restrict their sleep window. They also go through a curriculum with information on stimulus control and how to shift thought patterns that contribute to sleep disruption. Physicians receive information on patients’ progress through a dashboard.
Pear submitted data from two studies of more than 1,400 adults to the Food and Drug Administration. After going through the program, patients reported a reduction in the amount of time it took to fall asleep by 45%, the amount of time spent awake at night by 52%, and a 45% reduction in insomnia symptoms.
“We’re excited to offer patients who have been struggling to find a long-term solution for chronic insomnia with a meaningful, first-line treatment that is accessible via an end-to-end care model, to support patients and healthcare providers during the virtual onboarding process,” Pear CEO and President Corey McCann said in a news release. “The availability of Somryst demonstrates our ongoing commitment to developing (prescription digital therapeutics) to deliver easily-accessible treatment options to patients for their chronic conditions, important now, more than ever as we continue to navigate the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Photo credit: Pear Therapeutics
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