'The World's Top 3 Causes of Death' Easily Treated by Anyone... Respiratory Rehabilitation Previously Only Done in Hospitals Now Available at Home

"Respiratory rehabilitation has proven effective for patients with chronic lung diseases, but due to medical conditions, only a very small number of patients could receive this treatment. However, now with the digital therapeutic device (DTx) Easybreath, anyone can easily receive professional respiratory rehabilitation treatment anywhere."

Choi Hee-eun, CEO of Share & Service, is holding and demonstrating 'EasyBreathe,' a digital therapeutic device (DTx) for respiratory rehabilitation that she developed.
[Photo by Lee Chun-hee]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), including chronic bronchitis, is a common disease affecting one in three elderly people aged 65 or older in South Korea. It was listed by the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the 'Top 3 Causes of Death Worldwide' in 2020, and it is projected to become the leading cause of death globally by 2050. Once COPD develops, lung function is already impaired, making complete recovery difficult. Since reduced lung function leads to breathing difficulties, continuous respiratory rehabilitation through aerobic exercises such as walking is necessary to maintain and restore lung function.

Choi Hee-eun, CEO of Share & Service, which developed Easybreath?the recently approved '4th domestic DTx' by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for respiratory rehabilitation DTx?said, "The therapeutic effects of respiratory rehabilitation have already been established through academic papers, and it is covered by domestic health insurance. However, rehabilitation facilities are only available at university hospital levels, so only a very small number of patients can receive respiratory rehabilitation." She pointed out that even among patients eligible for treatment in Korea, the recommended frequency is 'three times a week,' but due to time and cost constraints, this is practically impossible.

Professor Choi, who is in charge of the respiratory rehabilitation clinic at Busan Haeundae Paik Hospital's Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, founded Share & Service in 2020 with the expectation that DTx could improve this situation. He emphasized, "Not only patients who find it difficult to visit university hospitals but also those receiving treatment need to continue therapy steadily at home, so the utility is expected to be significant." He explained, "Generally, when exercising at home, many people stop because they get short of breath. Using Easybreath allows accurate rehabilitation at home, and various data can be checked by medical staff in real time."

Respiratory rehabilitation is applicable not only to COPD but also to patients requiring such treatment due to heart failure, thoracic deformities, and other conditions. When visiting a hospital, patients first perform stretching, followed by aerobic exercise, and then receive breathing technique education and strength training tailored to their individual conditions. Easybreath incorporates the core operating principles and comprehensive program methods of respiratory rehabilitation into the DTx, providing video education on stretching, strength training, and more, in addition to basic aerobic exercise algorithms. It also uses biomarkers such as walking distance and walking speed to automatically determine the exercise prescription currently needed by the patient through an algorithm.

In clinical trials, the efficacy of treatment was demonstrated by comparing patients who received only conventional drug therapy with those who used both medication and Easybreath. One of the key focuses during development was usability. It must be easy to use to increase patient participation and to fully realize the efficacy of the DTx. CEO Choi explained, "Users only need to make selections at truly necessary moments, and various indicators are automatically recorded. Elderly patients find it very convenient as it manages everything for them."

CEO Choi stated, "Our goal is to evolve the service by adding features such as motion accuracy detection to overcome differences with face-to-face treatment," and added, "Soon, when the DTx prescription platform expands to primary care institutions, prescriptions will be available even at local clinics."

Regarding future commercialization plans, she emphasized 'insurance coverage entry,' as respiratory rehabilitation is already covered by health insurance. She said, "Our priority is to enter health insurance coverage first," and added, "We are also forming a consultative body with existing DTx developers to build a sustainable DTx ecosystem."

Meanwhile, in terms of indications, the scope will be expanded from respiratory rehabilitation to cardiac rehabilitation. Under the name Heart Healthcare, a confirmatory clinical trial is currently underway. This also implements rehabilitation methods through exercise to improve survival rates and social reintegration of patients with heart disease using DTx.