Top 20 Innovative Digital Therapeutics Companies of 2020

• The digital therapeutics market has unsurprisingly exploded in last few years. Available virtually, digital therapies are developed by engineers, clinicians & scientists and are rigorously tested, making it possible for people to access treatment for both physical & psychological conditions at home
• Demand for digital therapies has skyrocketed amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, many digital therapeutics and telehealth offerings are added during the pandemic
• Our team at PharmaShots, has listed 20 innovative digital therapeutics companies of 2020 in alphabetical orders

2Morrow is a digital health company that delivers proven wellness and behavior change programs via smartphone apps. The company combines technology and behavioral science to address the largest healthcare issues including smoking, vaping, weight, stress/anxiety, and chronic pain. Programs are delivered via an easy-to-use smartphone application for participants and a real-time dashboard for program administrators offering both engagement data and population insights. In Feb 2020, 2Morrow collaborated with Walmart to distribute two DTx programs aimed at Smoking and Vaping Cessation on Walmart.com. In Sept 2020, research from Fred Hutch showed that 2Morrow’s app can help smokers to quit smoking while 2Morrow’s app-based, smoking-cessation therapy has demonstrated effectiveness in clinical trials and is 2-3 times more effective than unaided smoking cessation.

Akili builds clinically-validated cognitive therapeutics, assessments, and diagnostics that look and feel like video games. It aims to develop a new type of electronic medicine that can be deployed remotely directly to any patient anywhere, prescribed and tracked by physicians, with the potential to be developed at a fraction of the cost of traditional medical approaches. In 2020, Akili got the US FDA and EC approval for EndeavorRx for children with ADHD as the first prescription treatment delivered through a video game.

Biofourmis is a biotechnology company that augments personalized care and therapies using digital therapeutics. The company’s platform uses AI to integrate & analyze continuous physiology data from clinical-grade wearables to detect personalized patterns and predict clinical exacerbation in advance of a critical event, enabling medical professionals to intervene days before a critical event and providing better outcomes for patients. In 2020, the company collaborated with Chugai to develop an objective assessment of pain using digital technology. Biofourmis’ Biovitals Sentinel platform has been deployed to remotely monitor COVID-19-positive patients to aid in early detection of deterioration and to enable clinicians and nurse teams to intervene early.

Cara is a pharmaceutical company that empowers patients suffering from chronic digestive diseases. Cara Care develops companion digital therapeutics to enhance state-of-the-art therapies for GI diseases. In 2020, Cara Care collaborated with the Consumer Healthcare Business Unit of Sanofi Germany on a holistic approach to digestive health that bundled Sanofi’s with Cara Care’s digital companion app for digestive conditions. The company has apps to manage BS, IBD, GERD, and dyspepsia.

Click Therapeutics develops and commercializes software as medical treatments for people with unmet medical needs. Through cognitive and neurobehavioral mechanisms, Click’s Digital Therapeutics enable change within individuals and are designed to be used independently or in conjunction with biomedical treatments. In Dec 2020, Click Therapeutics secured $30M in growth capital from K2 Health Ventures to expand its operations. In Sep 2020, Boehringer Ingelheim and Click Therapeutics collaborated to develop and commercialize CT-155 as a novel prescription digital therapeutic to aid in the treatment of Schizophrenia. 

Cognoa is a pediatric behavioral health company developing digital diagnostics and therapeutics to enable the earlier diagnosis and treatment of behavioral health conditions, like autism. The company’s AI technology platform will enable Cognoa’s product pipeline to address additional unmet needs including ADHD and anxiety. In 2021, Cognoa received the US FDA’s approval for first-of-its-kind autism diagnosis aid, designed to help physicians to diagnose autism in the primary care setting.

CureApp provides a digital platform for consumers to manage addiction and health vitals. The company offers a mobile app to aid users in smoking cessation and tracking their body vitals for better health management. The CureApp Smoking allows users to enter details about their smoking habits, which the built-in algorithm uses to make recommendations. In addition, users can log their activity which can be reviewed by a physician. The company develops NASH App for the treatment of liver cirrhosis for medical institutions. It also offers HERB-app for managing blood pressure, the Ascure app for smoking cessation programs for corporates, and ascureSPARX which offers mental health programs for cognitive training. In 2020, the company’s CureApp SC Nicotine addiction treatment app and CO checker got approval in Japan as Asia’s first therapeutics app.

Glooko is the universal diabetes platform that provides insights to improve outcomes for people with diabetes (PWDs) and their care teams. Glooko connects to the world’s most popular diabetes devices, major fitness, and activity trackers and supplies personalized, timely patient information such as glucose level, food, insulin, medications, blood pressure, diet, and weight data. In Oct 2020, Glooko announced a new medical education program in collaboration with the diabetes technology network (DTN) / Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD). In July 2020, Glooko had provided free remote care solution and collaborated with Sanofi to share with medical clinics and people with diabetes. In Mar 2020, Glooko has enabled remote patient care at no charge to medical clinics and people with diabetes to minimize risk during pandemics.

Kaia Health is a digital therapeutics company that creates evidence-based treatments for a range of medical disorders. Kaia offers digital programs to help people with chronic musculoskeletal pain—including back, hip, and knee pain and COPD. In 2020, Kaia Health collaborated with Chiesi Group to commercialize the Kaia Health COPD Pulmonary Rehabilitation app in Europe. The company reported that its pain management program is revolutionizing chronic pain therapy through digital coaching, offering value and reassurance to benefits managers concerned about costs from delayed, inadequate, or unnecessary care stemming from MSK conditions.

Lark Health develops an AI-based chronic disease management platform for diabetes, hypertension, and behavioral health. It is a digital health startup that provides virtual care through AI coaching, smart devices, and telemonitoring. In 2020, Lark Health rolls out behavioral health coaching targeted at patients at risk for chronic conditions. The AI-enabled program focus on weight management, smoking cessation, stress management, and overall health.

Neuro Track is a mobile behavior company that focuses on the combination of digital techniques with human behavior. Neurotrack is on a mission to transform the diagnosis and prevention of Alzheimer’s and related dementias through its app-based Cognitive Health Program. Its digital cognitive assessments, using groundbreaking eye-tracking technology, are coupled with a personalized intervention program to empower individuals at any age to strengthen their cognitive health through “brain checkups” and targeted lifestyle behaviors. In 2020, the company collaborated with Sompo Holdings to launch the Neurotrack Cognitive Health Program to policyholders in Japan.

Noom is the world’s leading behavior change company, disrupting the weight loss and healthcare industries. By combining the power of AI, mobile tech, and psychology with the empathy of 2,500+ personal coaches, Noom helps people live healthier lives by changing their long-term habits. The Noom platform is already being used by leading healthcare and pharmaceutical companies to improve treatment outcomes for patients worldwide. In Jan 2020, Eversana and Noom collaborated to improve therapy adherence and patient engagement for complex therapies. In Jun 2020, Noom reported the release of a new study revealing that age is a predictor of weight in a mobile health intervention. In Feb 2020, Noom reported two new studies on the impact of mobile coaching on binge eating disorders and obesity.

Omada Health is a digital care company that offers innovative and clinically effective digital health programs to empower individuals to engage in their health and lead healthier lives. The program is personalized to meet each participant’s unique needs as they evolve, ranging from diabetes prevention, T2D management, hypertension, behavioral health, and musculoskeletal issues. Omada combines professional health coaching, connected health devices, real-time data, and personalized feedback to deliver clinically meaningful results. The company is the largest CDC-recognized provider of the National Diabetes Prevention Program. In 2020, Omada’s digital diabetes prevention program showed sustained HbA1c reduction and weight loss in a clinical study. The company acquired Physera that broadens its portfolio and extends its focus on depth of care and clinical rigor.

One Drop is a diabetes management platform that helps people navigate diabetes together. The mobile app for diabetes management is available in 195 countries. The company harnesses the power of behavioral science, mobile computing, and data science to transform the lives of people with diabetes and other chronic conditions globally. In 2020, the company acquired all the assets and IP of Sano including its continuous glucose sensing platform. One Drop signed ~$98M agreement with Bayer to jointly develop digital health products for multiple therapeutic areas based on One Drop’s predictive, preventative, personalized self-care platform. In April 2020, the company launched SugarRx, a digital subscription, offering consumers worldwide access to affordable on-demand support and educational content.

Pear Therapeutics is a privately held eHealth company that develops digital therapies addressing a broad range of conditions including addiction, schizophrenia, pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression, and sleep. PEAR’s eFormulation platform combines pharmaceutical preparations with user-friendly, customizable, and scientifically validated software applications. PEAR’s patented approach provides better outcomes for patients, smarter engagement and tracking tools for clinicians, and cost-effective solutions for payors. In Nov 2020, Pear launched Somryst for chronic insomnia via end to end virtual care experience. The company allied with HTA to provide access for reSET and reSET-O to self-insured employees.

ResMed is a developer, manufacturer, and distributor of medical equipment for treating, diagnosing, and managing sleep-disordered breathing and other respiratory disorders. Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), includes obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and other respiratory disorders that occur during sleep. It has developed several products for SDB and other respiratory disorders including airflow generators, diagnostic products, mask systems, headgear, and other accessories. In 2020, ResMed ramps up ventilator output to meet global demand during the pandemic. The company launched AirTouch N20 CPAP nasal mask with a memory foam cushion. Additionally, last year the company launched a #WakeUpToGoodSleep Campaign, underscoring the Importance of good sleep.

Sword Health is a digital health company that provides a digital musculoskeletal care solution. It offers AI-powered physical therapists enabling both patients to have sessions at home and get real-time biofeedback and therapists to monitor the progress of patients. Following the previous investment, in Feb 2020, Sword announced the addition of $9M to their Series A investment, bringing their total Series A investment to $17M. In Aug 2020, Sword health became the only digital musculoskeletal care provider with HITRUST, SOC 2, and FDA certifications.

Teladoc Health is multinational telemedicine and virtual healthcare company based in the US. Primary services include telehealth, medical opinions, AI and analytics, telehealth devices, and licensable platform services. In Oct 2020, Teladoc and Livongo entered into a ~$18.5M merger agreement. The company also launched mental health telemedicine service. This service creates the first telemedicine solution to offer both general medical and mental health care from the same platform, enabling a more holistic and seamless approach to care.

Vida Health is a company developing a virtual care platform for chronic and behavioral health conditions. It integrates individual expert care with machine learning and remote monitoring to deliver personalized chronic condition management combined with health coaching and therapy through an online platform and a mobile app. The platform supports individuals in managing conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, depression, anxiety, etc. In Oct 2020, Vida Health became the first major chronic disease management platform to add a fully supported Spanish program to its services. Vida’s Spanish-language service allows Spanish speakers to fully engage with the Vida app and their coaches, therapists, registered dietitians, and care navigators completely in Spanish. In Nov 2020, Vida Health launched a virtual congestive heart failure management program. In Sep 2020, Vida Health had selected as the preferred virtual mental health provider for a new return to work solution called Working well launched by Castlight Health.

Virta develops treatments to reversing type 2 diabetes without medications or surgery. Among enrolled patients in its clinical trial at one year, 60% achieved diabetes reversal, and 94% of insulin users reduced or eliminated usage. Results extend beyond diabetes reversal to other metabolic and cardiovascular health areas, with sustained improvements in blood pressure, inflammation, liver function, and BMI. In 2020, the company has raised $93M in Series C funding to combat the growing prevalence of T2D, bringing the total equity funding to $166M.

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