Lund, Sweden based-Paindrainer AB received notification from the European Patent Office that it intends to grant this patent application for its digital tool, Paindrainer, which coaches users in managing their pain and provides guidance on how to reach a personalized activity balance to reach an optimal functional level and alleviate pain.
South Korean med-tech companies Nunaps Co. Ltd. and Share & Service are the latest to clear domestic approvals for digital therapeutics as the government ramps up R&D funding for artificial intelligence-based medical technologies.
Researchers from the University of Auckland have developed a smartphone app called Mindear that reduced the impact of tinnitus in two-thirds of users over eight weeks.Tinnitus, often referred to as ringing in the ears, is the perception of sound without an external source and affects 10% to 15% of the global adult population. Previous studies to treat tinnitus have focused on neuromodulation devices, but a smartphone app could make treatment more accessible to a wider population.
After flying high in 2022, digital therapeutics (DTx) companies crashed to Earth in 2023 and scrambled to identify a path to profitability, or at least continued viability.
Hypnovr SAS recent takeover of Oncomfort SA will bring digital therapeutic solutions to a larger patient population suffering from pain and anxiety. Oncomfort has developed Digital Sedation, a non-pharmacological method of relieving patients’ pain and anxiety. This therapy, coupled with Hypnovr’s own virtual reality (VR) solution will help reduce medication use and improve the care pathway for patients undergoing medical procedures.
Responding to the burgeoning field of digital health, the U.S. FDA reported the creation of a new Digital Health Advisory Committee that it expects to be up and running in 2024.
Brainaurora Medical Technology Ltd. has filed for an initial public offering (IPO) in Hong Kong to develop its digital therapeutics for the treatment of cognitive impairment diseases. The company claims to be the first in China to launch a digital therapeutics (DTx) product for cognitive impairment, as well as the largest company in China in terms of revenue from the commercialization of cognitive impairment DTx products in 2022.
Luminopia Inc. reeled in $16 million in an oversubscribed series A financing led by U.S. Venture Partners. The funds will support full commercial launch of the company’s U.S. FDA-cleared digital therapeutic for the treatment of children ages 4-7 with amblyopia. “We are thrilled to announce the successful close of our oversubscribed series A round, which will allow us to advance our mission of pioneering a new class of treatments for the 15 million Americans who suffer from neuro-visual disorders,” said Scott Xiao, Luminopia’s co-founder and CEO.
Cardiorenal SAS reported it has been granted a breakthrough device designation by the U.S. FDA for its Tenor at-home blood potassium measuring device. The Tenor smart device combines multiple technologies, app and cloud capabilities to assist patients with chronic kidney disease in measuring their blood potassium levels from home, obtaining results in under five minutes.
There is a growing body of evidence showing prescription digital therapeutics (DTx) are effective, but slow progress in agreeing reimbursement and integrating them into care pathways is limiting access for patients and holding back commercial development in Europe.