Take A Chill Pill The start-up wants to take it to only proof-of concept level which means limited sales and then license it to a bigger player that can take it up for further manufacturing and distribution globally.

By Sandeep Soni

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

Shutterstock.com

For those who frown upon having their daily dose of medicines and by chance, not choice, fail to adhere to that regimen, BoxRx – the smart pill box won't spare you.

Working as solutions specialist for medical devices at Agiliad (Pune-based product engineering services company founded by former senior executives of Patni Computer Systems), Nishant Kumar (Founder and CEO of Pune-based Embryyo Technologies) got to know about where the leading medical Original Equipment Manufacturers are heading with their new products in the new markets. He was later joined by Prateek Jain, his former classmate, at Embryyo.

"This was the time when we decided to start on our own. One of the problem areas identified was diagnostics wherein we learnt about Tuberculosis (TB) problem. We realized that TB patients mostly fail to recover because they don't take medicines on time," says Kumar.

He later realized that lack of receptiveness for patients to adhere to a schedule hold them from getting cured completely as TB requires rigorous antibiotic treatment of six months. "It has to be zero patient burden solution where the patient has to be only a passive recipient," adds Kumar.

The duo created the solution that consists of an electronic pill box, a censor circuit, and a set of mobile applications. The TB blister pack which consists of four different kinds of drugs combined in one combi-pack. The blister pack has a censor cartridge which is made up of conductive tracks printed on a paper.

For every pill there is a corresponding track which is broken when a pill is picked. This activity is sent in SMS format to a central server and it records the information and updates the mobile apps of the clinicians and workers on the field.

The box is 120x120 mm and 80 mm in depth. "This white colored box is made up of cardboard. We have designed it in a way that after six months of medication, the same box can be re-used with some minor alterations.

The start-up wants to take it to only proof-ofconcept level which means limited sales and then license it to a bigger player that can take it up for further manufacturing and distribution globally. "This is because we want to continue to create innovate solutions for other diseases like oncology where cost is very high and drug adherence is very low," concludes Kumar.

BoxRx is available as a market ready prototype. The product is ready for large scale manufacturing and Kumar has already filed a patent for it. The box will cost around Rs 10,000 but in the public health system it will be free.

Sandeep Soni

Former Features Editor

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Technology

Why 2025 Will Be a Breakthrough Year for MSMEs in India's Digital Revolution

With the convergence of AI, cloud ecosystems, enhanced connectivity, and ethical data practices, 2025 represents a pivotal year for MSMEs in the digital sector. To remain competitive, MSMEs must embrace these technologies while fostering innovation and strategically aligning their operations with emerging trends.

Growing a Business

How to Build a Solid Go-to-Market Strategy for 2025

Here's your playbook for creating a GTM strategy that works in 2025.

Business Solutions

All the PDF Tools You Need in One Easy-to-Use App

Sign, edit, and merge PDFs in seconds.

Leadership

Hard and Soft Skills Go Hand-in-Hand — These Are the Ones You Need to Sharpen This Year

The coming year promises to be one of change, which can be daunting and exciting. While it's important to stay on top of new technologies, the key will be sharpening those soft skills.

Business News

Zillow Predicts These 10 Places Will Have the Hottest Housing Markets in 2025

Zillow predicted that the hottest housing market of 2025 will be Buffalo, New York. Here's why.