Last Month In Digital Health (January 2025)

CONTENTS: 1) ??Pharma Digital Health | 2)??Digital Therapeutics | 3)??Health Tech 4)??Wearables & Sensors | 5) ?? Artificial Intelligence | 6)??Funding & Finance

1)?? Pharma Digital Health

?? Novartis partnered with EverEx, a digital musculoskeletal healthcare company in Korea, to provide MORA Care, an AI-powered musculoskeletal health management service. Leveraging EverEx’s evidence-based rehabilitation data, the mobile app offers personalized exercise plans, AI motion evaluations, and educational content

?? Bristol Myers Squibb partnered with Fangzhou China’s leading online chronic disease management platform, to advance digital healthcare solutions. The alliance focuses on innovative care models and supporting BMS products Reblozyl? for β-thalassemia and Sotyktu? for plaque psoriasis

?? Eli Lilly and Company has partnered with telehealth firm Ro to offer a seamless 'Diagnosis to Delivery' model for its weight loss drug, Zepbound, integrating LillyDirect with Ro's platform for streamlined virtual consultations, prescriptions, and home delivery

?? Sanofi has expanded its partnership with BrightInsight to accelerate the development and scaling of companion drug apps. The extended partnership includes the MyWay app, designed to enhance patient engagement, medication adherence, and health management for multiple diseases and markets

?? Bayer expanded into the IBS market by acquiring the Cara Care app, a holistic, evidence-based digital therapeutic addressing symptoms, diet, and mental health. Bayer has plans to commercialize it by spring 2025, leveraging their gastroenterology expertise

?? Bayer has also partnered with Envisionit Deep AI? to advance AI-driven medical imaging diagnostics, leveraging Envisionit's RADIFY AI technology to enhance the speed, accuracy, and affordability of disease detection.

?? Additionally, Bayer is collaborating with Subtle Medical to develop SubtleGAD?, a deep-learning algorithm to reduce contrast agent doses in MRI while maintaining diagnostic quality

?? Daiichi Sankyo Europe GmbH partnered with DTx company Prosoma in Germany to promote the Living Well app, a CE-certified program supporting the mental health of cancer patients by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression

2)??Digital Therapeutics

??A study on AppliedVR's RelieVRx VR therapy showed significant reductions in pain intensity for chronic lower back pain patients, with 70% of high-impact patients transitioning to low-impact status post-treatment and 67% maintaining it after 12 months.

??Amazon has partnered with Hinge Health to integrate its musculoskeletal (MSK) platform into its health program, enabling users to access employer-sponsored benefits. Hinge Health offers therapy, coaching, and the FDA-cleared Enso device, showing significant pain and mental health improvements within 12 weeks

??Orexo has ended its U.S. partnership with GAIA for the depression app Deprexis, citing limited sales, reimbursement challenges, and competition from apps like Otsuka's Rejoyn. The company will refocus on Modia, a DTx for opioid addiction support

??A study using PD Neurotechnology’s PDMonitor telemonitoring device demonstrated significant improvements in managing Parkinson’s symptoms, reducing "Off" time—the period when medication effects wear off and symptoms return—from 36.2% to 20.3%. Nearly 45% of patients reported improvement, with increased satisfaction in medication effectiveness

??HelloBetter Sleep, a 12-week online cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia, is now permanently listed in the German DiGA directory, completing HelloBetter's suite of six digital health applications. A trial with 210 participants showed 71% achieved full remission, 61.7% reported significant improvement, and additional benefits included reduced anxiety, depression, and improved sleep quality, with a 93.5% recommendation rate

?? I reported Mahana Therapeutics has folded, highlighting ongoing challenges in the DTx space despite its notable deals, including a partnership with Bayer. While the long-term potential of DTx remains strong, systemic issues like unsustainable funding models, weak differentiation, and unclear reimbursement paths continue to drive short-term struggles, with more consolidations and bankruptcies likely ahead

3)??Health Tech

?? Paralyzed patients regain mobility after brain electrode implants. Two individuals have been able to walk short distances and even climb stairs again, thanks to the implanted electrodes

?? Neuralink competitor Science Corporation is developing a biohybrid brain implant that uses living neurons to connect with the brain, offering greater precision and less damage than traditional implants. Early mouse trials are promising, though neuron survival and immune response remain challenges

?? Scientists have developed bionic legs controlled by the brain, using innovative surgery that reconnects muscle pairsfor natural movement, improved control, and mobility

?? Researchers are building a ‘bionic breast’ to revive feeling post-mastectomy and reconstruction. The first clinical trial of a key component is due to start early this year

?? A new bioprinter, the first to print tissue directly onto wounds, speeds up 3D tissue printing by 10 times using cell clusters that mimic natural tissue. In tests, HITS-Bio repaired bone in a rat’s skull within six weeks

?? By watching videos, surgical robots have learned to perform tasks like suturing and knot-tying with human-level precision, even correcting their own mistakes

4)??Wearables & Sensors

?? Movano Health has received FDA 510(k) clearance for its EvieMED Ring, a wearable that tracks metrics like blood oxygen, heart rate, mood, sleep, and activity. This approval enables the company to expand into remote patient monitoring, clinical trials, and post-trial management

?? ōURA has launched Symptom Radar, a new feature for its smart rings that analyzes heart rate, temperature, and breathing patterns to detect early signs of respiratory illness before symptoms fully develop. While it doesn’t diagnose specific conditions, it provides an “illness warning light” so users can prioritize rest and potentially recover more quickly

?? Proton Intelligence is developing an implantable device for real-time potassium monitoring, addressing life-threatening imbalances in CKD and heart failure patients. Linked to a smartphone app and clinician dashboard, it enables better management through alerts and trend analysis

?? A temporary scalp tattoo made from conductive polymers can measure brain activity without bulky electrodes or gels, simplifying EEG recordings and reducing patient discomfort. Printed directly onto the head, it currently works well on bald or buzz-cut scalps, and future modifications may enable use with longer hair

?? Researchers have developed a wearable ultrasound patch that continuously and non-invasively monitors blood pressure, showing accuracy comparable to clinical devices in tests. The soft skin patch sensor could offer a simpler, more reliable alternative to traditional cuffs and invasive arterial lines

?? According to researchers, a new generation of wearable sensors will continuously track biochemical markers such as hydration levels, electrolytes, inflammatory signals, and even viruses, from bodily fluids like sweat, saliva, tears, and breath, alerting users to subtle health changes before they become critical

5) ?? Artificial Intelligence Highlights

>> Here is a snapshot of some key developments, but see this months AI newsletter for more in-depth coverage

?? The NHS will trial Aire-DM, an AI tool predicting type 2 diabetes risk up to 13 years early by analyzing subtle ECG changes. Developed at Imperial College London, it achieves 70% accuracy and could improve with added data. Starting in 2025, the tool aims to enable targeted prevention and stop diabetes before it develops.

?? A new AI tool predicts atrial fibrillation (AF) risk before symptoms appear, using GP records to analyze factors like age, sex, and medical history. Developed by the University of Leeds, it’s being trialed to reduce stroke risk, with high-risk individuals using handheld ECGs for early detection.

?? FaceAge uses AI to analyze selfies, estimating biological age and predicting health outcomes, including lifespan. In a study by Mass General Brigham, it outperformed doctors in predicting cancer survival rates by detecting facial aging signs linked to health. While promising, the tool needs peer review, and questions remain about its reliability against cosmetic interventions.

?? AI aging clocks predict health and lifespan using blood metabolites, measuring biological age (“MileAge”) and its gap with chronological age. Tested on 225,000 UK Biobank participants, they link accelerated aging to frailty and higher mortality, enabling early interventions to slow aging.

?? Claimable uses generative AI to fight claim denials, crafting appeal letters that integrate policy details, clinical research, and patient data. Initially focused on autoimmune disorders, the platform charges $50 per appeal and overturns 85% of denials, offering hope to patients battling unjust rejections.

6)??Funding & Finance

?? ōURA secures $200M, boosting its valuation to $5.2B, as it continues to lead innovation in wearable health technology.

?? Cleerly raises $106M from Insight Partners for AI-powered solutions in early heart health detection.

?? Neuralink rival Precision raises $102M to advance AI-enabled brain implants, expanding the landscape of neurotechnology.

?? Soda Health, focused on managing Medicare Advantage supplemental benefits, closed a $50M Series B financing round to drive innovation in healthcare benefits.

?? Aqemia raises $38M to leverage theoretical physics and Generative AI for drug discovery.

?? Hyro AI, a healthcare automation startup, raises $35M in a Series B round to scale its conversational AI solutions.

?? OptraSCAN secures $30M to revolutionize digital pathology with cutting-edge imaging solutions.

?? Wavegate receives $26M to advance its neuromodulation technology for chronic pain management.

?? Morgan Health, a business of JPMorgan Chase, invests $25M into health data analytics provider Merative, emphasizing its focus on transforming healthcare data solutions.

?? Withings receives $22.5M to push AI and medical device innovation forward.

?? Anatomy secures $19M to develop a digital healthcare lockbox for secure patient data management.

?? Fello, a peer support platform, secures $10.4M to combat the growing loneliness epidemic through digital solutions.

?? Paris-based biotech DeepLife has closed a $10M Series A to accelerate drug discovery using AI-created "digital twins" of human cells.

?? Jimini Health, with its clinician-led therapy model augmented by AI, announces its launch after securing $8M in pre-seed funding.

?? Culina Health raises $7.9M to advance its digital nutrition platform, providing personalized dietary guidance.