Boehringer Ingelheim and HealthPrize Partner to Launch New Support Program for People Treating COPD With SPIRIVA® RESPIMAT® (tiotropium bromide) Inhalation Spray

The RespiPoints program provides tools to help improve healthy behaviors, such as learning how to help manage COPD, encourage healthy habits, and track medication adherence. As with other chronic diseases, poor adherence to treatment plans is common among people with COPD and can result in increased rates of COPD symptoms, healthcare costs and hospitalizations.

Taken once daily as directed, SPIRIVA RESPIMAT helps relax airways and keep them open for 24 hours. SPIRIVA RESPIMAT can also reduce COPD flare-ups (or COPD exacerbations). SPIRIVA RESPIMAT does not treat sudden breathing problems and cannot be used in place of a rescue inhaler.

"Boehringer Ingelheim is committed to providing support and resources for patients' needs beyond our industry-leading six COPD medicines," said Ruchin Kansal, executive director and head, Business Innovation, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. "We are proud to continue our unwavering commitment to the COPD community with new technology and support services that can help improve patient outcomes. The RespiPoints program is the latest in a series of efforts to empower people living with COPD to better manage their health with tools that are engaging and educational."

People enrolled in the RespiPoints program earn points, which can be redeemed for e-gift cards, through a variety of activities, such as reporting they took their daily SPIRIVA RESPIMAT dose, verifying their monthly refill, reading COPD educational information and fun facts, and completing weekly quizzes and surveys.

Boehringer Ingelheim co-designed the program with HealthPrize, which based the RespiPoints program on the company's proven methods to educate and engage patients.

"We recently released results that showed a sizable reduction in gap days—or days late to refill a prescription—in patients enrolled in a similar HealthPrize program," said HealthPrize CEO Tom Kottler. "We're pleased to be partnering closely with Boehringer Ingelheim in supporting and educating COPD patients taking SPIRIVA RESPIMAT."

To learn more, visit www.RespiPoints.com.

About Spiriva Respimat
SPIRIVA RESPIMAT, 2.5 mcg, is a long-term, once-daily, prescription maintenance medicine used to control symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) by relaxing your airways and keeping them open. COPD includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. SPIRIVA RESPIMAT also reduces the likelihood of COPD flare-ups (COPD exacerbations). SPIRIVA RESPIMAT is not a treatment for sudden symptoms of COPD.

Important Safety Information
Do not use SPIRIVA^® RESPIMAT^® (tiotropium bromide) Inhalation Spray if you are allergic to tiotropium, ipratropium, atropine or similar drugs, or any ingredient in these medicines.

SPIRIVA RESPIMAT is not a rescue medicine and should not be used for treating sudden breathing problems. Your doctor may give you other medicine to use for sudden breathing problems.

SPIRIVA RESPIMAT can cause allergic reactions. Symptoms can include raised red patches on your skin (hives), itching, rash and/or swelling of the lips, tongue, or throat that may cause difficulty in breathing or swallowing. If you have any of these symptoms, stop taking the medicine and seek emergency medical care.

SPIRIVA RESPIMAT can cause your breathing to suddenly get worse (bronchospasm). If this happens, use your rescue inhaler, stop taking SPIRIVA RESPIMAT, and call your doctor right away or seek emergency medical care.

SPIRIVA RESPIMAT can increase the pressure in your eyes (acute narrow-angle glaucoma), which can cause the following symptoms: eye pain, blurred vision, seeing halos or colored images along with red eyes. If you have any of these symptoms, stop taking your medicine and call your doctor right away.

Dizziness and blurred vision may occur with SPIRIVA RESPIMAT. If you experience these symptoms, use caution when engaging in activities such as driving a car, or operating appliances or other machines.

SPIRIVA RESPIMAT can cause new or worsened urinary retention. Symptoms of blockage in your bladder and/or enlarged prostate may include difficulty passing urine and/or painful urination. If you have any of these symptoms, stop taking your medicine and call your doctor right away.

The most common side effects reported with SPIRIVA RESPIMAT in patients with COPD include sore throat, cough, dry mouth, and sinus infection.

Do not spray SPIRIVA RESPIMAT into your eyes, as this may cause blurring of vision and pupil dilation.

Tell your doctor about all your medical conditions including kidney problems, glaucoma, enlarged prostate, problems passing urine, or blockage in your bladder.

Tell your doctor all the medicines you take, including eye drops. Ask your doctor if you are taking any anticholinergic medicines because taking them together with SPIRIVA RESPIMAT can increase side effects.

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see full Prescribing Information for SPIRIVA RESPIMAT, including Instructions for Use.

About COPD
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a term including chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema. This disease can make breathing harder because less air is able to flow in and out of the lungs. Chronic lower respiratory diseases, which include COPD, are the third leading cause of death in the United States, and approximately 15 million Americans have been told by a healthcare provider that they have COPD.

The most common symptom of COPD is shortness of breath, especially with physical activities. Coughing, with or without mucus production, is also a common symptom of COPD. These symptoms can be misunderstood as signs of aging. COPD is usually associated with progressive airway damage and loss that cause breathing to get more difficult.

About HealthPrize 
HealthPrize provides a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), HIPAA-compliant platform and services to create unique digital experiences proven to drive patient engagement, education and increased medication adherence for healthcare companies and pharmaceutical brands. Using a proprietary gamification approach and patented technology, combined with a deep understanding of behavioral sciences and patient psychology, HealthPrize consistently delivers high levels of patient engagement, resulting in over 50% increased lifts in Rx adherence versus control. For more information, visit www.healthprize.com and follow us on Twitter at @HealthPrize.

About Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., based in Ridgefield, CT, is the largest U.S. subsidiary of Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation.

Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the world's 20 leading pharmaceutical companies. Headquartered in Ingelheim, Germany, the company operates globally with 145 affiliates and more than 47,000 employees. Since its founding in 1885, the family-owned company has been committed to researching, developing, manufacturing and marketing novel treatments for human and veterinary medicine.

Boehringer Ingelheim is committed to improving lives and providing valuable services and support to patients and their families. Our employees create and engage in programs that strengthen our communities. To learn more about how we make more health for more people, visit our Corporate Social Responsibility Report.

In 2015, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of about $15.8 billion (14.8 billion euros). R&D expenditure corresponds to 20.3 percent of its net sales.

For more information please visit www.us.boehringer-ingelheim.com, or follow us on Twitter @BoehringerUS.

Media Contacts
Karen Sackowitz
Corporate Communications, HealthPrize Technologies
[email protected] 
+1-978-697-3845 mobile
+1-203-957-3786 office

Chris Wahlers
Public Relations, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
[email protected]
+1-203-798-4375 office

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SOURCE HealthPrize Technologies

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