Happy Hands - Hand osteoarthritis therapy App

The "Happy Hands" project, supported by the Qualification Fund, aims to refine a minimal viable product (MVP) that aid patients with hand osteoarthristis (OA) in enhancing their hand function and strength. From the project's inception to the current reporting date, we have made significant progress in three core areas: 1. Product Optimization & Regulatory Compliance At the start of the project, the researchers have conducted a randomized controlled trial involving 380 patients, and the feedback from this trial was analyzed and used to optimize the app. Additionally, we collaborated with regulatory experts to outline a medical device regulatory strategy. Several essential documents were prepared, providing a strong foundation for obtaining CE certification in the future. 2. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Strategy To protect the innovation behind "Happy Hands," we collaborated with software developers to ensure compliance with medical device regulations. This involved reviewing codes and licenses to confirm that we have freedom to commercialize the product. As part of our long-term intellectual property strategy, we have decided to postpone trademark registration and additional regulatory filings, to ensure that they align with our long-term commercialization strategy. 3. Market & Commercialization Pathway Commercialization is a key focus of our project. We participated in the Aleap Bootcamp, gaining critical insights into the challenges and costs associated with bringing a medical app to market. With this knowledge, we developed two potential commercialization exit strategies and evaluated multiple scenarios to identify the most viable path for "Happy Hands." Thanks to the Qualification funds, we have successfully optimized our MVP, established a clear regulatory pathway, and developed a strategic foundation for commercialization. We are now in the process of finalizing the commercialization strategy in collaboration with stakeholders at Diakonhjemmet Hospital. These efforts position "Happy Hands" to make a meaningful impact on patient care while laying the groundwork for market success. This progress marks an important milestone in the development of "Happy Hands" and highlights the project’s potential to deliver innovative solutions in hand osteoarthristis therapy.

By offering hand OA patients a tool to treat their pain with education and excises on their own without surgical treatment or pain killers, our solution can lighten the growing load on the existing healthcare framework by reducing the need for human resources in managing hand OA treatments, and improving the communication between patients and healthcare professionals. In addition to the outcomes and impacts for our targeted end users, this project has provided us with an objective understanding of the costs involved in launching a CE-marked app. Gaining clarity on the minimal running costs will help us shape a viable business case and develop an effective strategy to achieve successful commercialization.