Digital therapeutics (DTx) is a rapidly evolving field that seeks to revolutionize healthcare delivery. Considered a subset of digital health, DTx is defined as evidence-based therapeutic interventions driven by software to prevent, manage, or treat a medical disorder or disease. In this article, we’ll explore five companies pioneering innovations in the DTx space.
Biofourmis
Biofourmis leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to develop personalized solutions for managing chronic conditions and improving patient outcomes. Founded in 2015, the company focuses on remote monitoring and predictive analytics to deliver precision care. Biofourmis offers a range of clinically validated digital health solutions, including its Biovitals platform, which received FDA approval in 2019 and collects and analyzes patient data to provide real-time insights. 2022 saw the company raise USD 320m in Series D funding with a plan to utilize the investment to scale up its offerings.
Click Therapeutics
New York-based Click Therapeutics uses software-based interventions to address chronic diseases such as depression, substance abuse and insomnia, delivering personalized treatment plans through mobile applications. At the time of writing, Click Therapeutics has one application on the market with seven more in development, targeting a range of disorders. In April 2024, the company in partnership with Japanese big pharma Otsuka received FDA clearance for their prescription digital program for individuals with major depressive disorder titled “Rejoyn”.
Closed Loop Medicine
Closed Loop Medicine specializes in precision medicine by integrating digital health technologies with clinical care. The UK organization’s approach combines data analytics, biomarker monitoring and AI-driven interventions to enable personalized dose optimization, countering diseases like insomnia, obesity and chronic pain whilst mitigating side effects. In February 2024, Closed Loop published a study in the Journal of the American Heart Association showing how the combination of prescription drugs and its dose-optimizing software could aid in personalizing the treatment of high blood pressure. The next month, they announced a partnership with the UK wing of Teva.
Cognito Therapeutics
Spun out from MIT in 2016, Cognito Therapeutics combats neurodegenerative conditions, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. Their treatments originate from their hypothesis that sensory stimulation could evoke gamma activity in Alzheimer’s disease and slow the rate of disease progression.
They started 2024 with a Series B extension that raised USD 35m, receiving a total of USD 161.3m in financing to date. Central to Cognito is their headset, dubbed Spectris, which delivers flashing lights and sounds through a pair of connected glasses and headphones to stimulate gamma waves in the brain. A recent single-blind study involving the headset’s use on patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer’s disease highlighted some potential benefits, with a Phase 3 study currently underway.
Sidekick Health
Sidekick Health creates gamified solutions for chronic disease management and prevention. Their platform offers engaging and interactive programs designed to address conditions such as eczema, arthritis and Crohn’s disease. By combining evidence-based interventions with gamification techniques, Sidekick Health aims to empower individuals to adopt and sustain healthy lifestyle behaviors and mitigate the impact of their condition on their daily lives. October 2023 saw the company expand into the prescription DTx space with its acquisition of German company Aidhere.