https://bio.nikkeibp.co.jp/atcl/news/p1/25/08/30/13682/
https://www.sawai.co.jp/release/detail/000904.html
https://cureapp.blogspot.com/2025/08/haudy1202591-2.html
On September 1, 2025, Sawai Pharmaceutical launched “HAUDY,” an alcohol reduction treatment support app for which CureApp received manufacturing and marketing approval from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare on February 13 of the same year. An information session was held on August 27th.
HAUDY is a treatment app consisting of a smartphone “Patient App” and a web-based “Doctor App.” Using the Patient App, patients can enter their daily drinking records, check their physical and mental condition, and self-monitor their drinking habits. It also provides educational content to help them reduce their drinking. Doctors can check individual patient data and psychosocial treatment support content reflected in the doctor app, and use it to assist in medical treatment.
The target population is non-hospitalized alcoholic patients for whom reducing alcohol consumption is a treatment goal. The target population is alcoholic patients who do not necessarily need to abstain from alcohol.
In the clinical trial, 283 patients eligible for alcohol reduction treatment were randomly assigned to an intervention group of 140, who received psychosocial treatment in combination with HAUDY, and a control group of 143, who received psychosocial treatment in combination with an app that only tracks alcohol consumption. The primary endpoint was the change from baseline in the number of heavy drinking days at 12 weeks. The results showed a statistically significant decrease in the number of heavy drinking days in the intervention group. A significant difference was also observed in the proportion of patients with a low-risk average daily alcohol intake (40.0g/day or less for men, 20.0g/day or less for women) (Response Low Drinking Risk Level: RLDRL), a secondary endpoint.
The app is covered by insurance and is reimbursed as a specified health care device for 7,010 yen for six months. Patients who pay 30% of the cost will be charged 2,370 yen per month. Medical institutions can also claim 90 points for six months as a program medical device guidance and management fee, as well as an introductory surcharge of 50 points for the first month only.
Sawai Pharmaceutical is Japan’s largest generic drug manufacturer, but it is also seeking to enter the digital and medical device businesses. In August 2024, its parent company, Sawai Holdings, signed a sales license agreement with CureApp for an alcohol reduction treatment app, gaining exclusive sales rights. In 2022, the company and CureApp signed a joint development and sales license agreement for a treatment app indicated for NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis), aiming for a launch in fiscal 2027.
This is CureApp’s third therapeutic app, following the nicotine addiction treatment app released in 2020 and the high blood pressure treatment support app released in 2022.
