	MeadWestvaco (MWV), a provider of packaging and packaging solutions, has received a grant to provide its Medication Event Monitoring System (MEMS™) to The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s new demonstration projects on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medications to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa and India. The four studies launched in October 2014.

	These medications are given to high-risk but HIV-negative people, and have been shown to prevent transmission of the virus when people are adherent to their medication program. MWV’s MEMS System utilizes its MEMSCap™ smart electronic medication packaging. The system tracks each time the medication bottle is opened, a proven corollary for measuring when a pill is taken. These data are wirelessly transferred to MWV Healthcare’s MedAmigo™ platform, a secure, web-based program for data analysis and modeling.

	During the foundation’s trials, MWV’s scientific staff will analyze adherence data and provide trial coordinators with real-time feedback about each participant’s adherence. When provided to participants, this real-time feedback at the point of care has been shown to be the most effective adherence intervention available. In recent draft guidance, the FDA has recommended using smart medication packaging to measure and enhance adherence in clinical trials.

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Global packaging company has received a grant from The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to improve adherence and accuracy during PrEP trials