WHOOP is First Wearable to be Used in Phase 3 COVID-19 Vaccine Trials

ABU DHABI, UAE, Aug. 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Abu Dhabi-based G42 Healthcare has announced a volunteer healthcare management program with Boston-based wearable technology firm WHOOP. The partnership will offer volunteers participating in the world's first Phase III trials of an inactivated COVID-19 vaccine the opportunity to benefit from a 24/7 fitness and health monitor to measure key biometrics. This is the first trial of its kind to feature wearable technology and will include thousands of volunteers who are participating in the trials.  

The Whoop4Humanity initiative ensures that volunteers who now join the clinical trials at ADNEC in Abu Dhabi and the Al Qarain Center in Sharjah, including those coming in for the second dose, can further enhance their participation in the trails by using the new wearable devices which will enable them to check their daily heart rate, respiratory rate, heart rate variability, sleep performance, and more.

Commenting on the new partnership, G42 Healthcare CEO Ashish Koshy said: "As a digital business, this new partnership is a logical extension of the highly-advanced AI and super computer solutions we are already using in the trials process. New volunteers will be invited to engage with the technology developed by WHOOP to enhance their individual volunteer experience and contribute to the advanced research involved in these sophisticated trials.

"We believe that giving volunteers an opportunity to use the WHOOP Strap 3.0 wearable device will reinforce their confidence in the trial by giving them the ability to check on several daily health data points. This will complement the world-class clinical expertise that the healthcare professionals in the UAE are providing to the volunteers and ensure their safety and well-being throughout the trials process."

G42 Healthcare believes that WHOOP can be a powerful tool to boost the comprehensive volunteer healthcare management program by helping thousands of vaccine volunteers to self-monitor their well-being while measuring their fitness, sleep, and recovery levels during the trials. WHOOP provides valuable insights and actionable feedback around specific markers, thus encouraging better decision making for volunteers' health and contributing to the trials' overall success.

"WHOOP is proud to partner with G42 Healthcare and participate in their innovative Phase III COVID-19 vaccine trial," said Will Ahmed, WHOOP Founder & CEO. "The continuous biometric monitoring offered by WHOOP will help volunteers evaluate any changes to their health and help researchers vastly increase their understanding of the vaccine's impact. This partnership represents the future of healthcare: using continuous monitoring and artificial intelligence to better understand the effect of drugs, vaccines, and other treatments."

WHOOP uniquely blends hardware, software, and industry-leading accurate measurements to help people sharpen the edges of performance, create impactful behavior change and a new set of positive individual habits, and empower them to optimize all facets of life.

The trials began in Abu Dhabi on 16^th July and are being managed by G4 Healthcare in partnership with the Department of Health - Abu Dhabi, the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention (MOHAP) and Abu Dhabi Health Services Company (SEHA).  They are being conducted following the international guidelines stipulated by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Food & Drug Administration (USFDA).

The Phase III clinical trials follow the success of the Phase I and Phase II trials conducted by Sinopharm in China, which resulted in 100% of the volunteers generating antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, after two doses in 28 days. The Phase III trials are open to individual volunteers aged between 18 and 60 living in the UAE and Bahrain and will last for six to twelve months, with the volunteers required to be available for follow ups during this time.

G42 Healthcare
G42 Healthcare, a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi-based Group 42 ? a leading technology company, is committed to developing a world-class, sustainable healthcare sector in the UAE. At the forefront in the battle against COVID-19, G42 Healthcare has partnered with health authorities in Abu Dhabi and specialized medical facilities to establish a massive throughput testing laboratory in 14 days and contribute to the trial effort of the UAE.

G42 Healthcare uses its advanced AI techniques and vast computing resources to accelerate the detection of COVID-19, conduct research into new vaccines and drug therapies, and map trends in the outbreak including virus mutations. The company has also developed its PPE manufacturing capacity.

Beyond COVID-19, G42 Healthcare has developed a program of activities to support the health of future generations ? ranging from genomics, imaging and diagnostics to digitization programs, manufacturing and cutting-edge research.

For further information on G42 visit www.g42.ai

WHOOP
WHOOP, the human performance company, provides a membership for 24/7 coaching to improve and understand health. The WHOOP membership comes with hardware (the new Whoop Strap 3.0), a coaching platform designed to optimize behavior, and a community of high performers.

WHOOP members range from professional athletes and Fortune 500 CEOs to fitness enthusiasts and endurance competitors to executives and military personnel. Studies show WHOOP can increase sleep, prevent burnout, and improve performance. Founded in 2012, WHOOP is based in Boston and has raised more than $100 million in venture capital. Visit WHOOP.com for the latest brand news and connect with WHOOP on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.

The products and services of WHOOP are not medical devices, are not intended to diagnose COVID-19, the flu or any other disease, and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.  All content available through the products and services of WHOOP is for general informational purposes only.

Media Contact:
Ross Fenton, Jack Taylor Public Relations
Phone: 415.722.3489
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE WHOOP