Integration of continuous glucose monitoring and Digital Therapeutics for comprehensive and cost-effective monitoring and population management
Taiwan-based digital health startup Health2Sync makes further inroads in personalized chronic disease management with an expanded coverage of the patient journey with the latest version of its mobile application capturing continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) data to improve overall lifestyles, and its recently announced plan to commercialize digital therapeutics (DTx) targeting insulin management for diabetics with Sanofi.
It is difficult to satisfy the problem of disease management with a one-size-fits-all solution. With its patient-centric data integration and analyses, Health2Sync is pioneering data-driven digital healthcare in the Asia Pacific, revolutionizing the industry by connecting multiple stakeholders including patients, healthcare providers, pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, private investors, and the Ministry of Health in its ecosystem.
In the final quarter of 2021, Health2Sync launched the first app in Asia capable of incorporating CGM data obtained from Abbott’s FreeStyle LibreLink mobile app. The Health2Sync app allows individuals to visualize personal information regarding CGM statistics, blood pressure, diet, exercise, and weight. Through a strategic partnership with Fitbit, users are also able to track step count and exercise all in one place, providing a holistic view of their health status and encouraging behavioral changes beneficial to glucose control. The effect of these behavioral changes was later quantified during a clinical validation that demonstrated improved patient HbA1c and LDL-C levels.
Growing from Taiwan to Asia
Going a step further, Health2Sync is also among the first solution providers of patient engagement DTx in Asia focusing on insulin titration. As part of a partnership with the pharma giant, the startup has provided this software to 200 Sanofi-contracted clinics and hospitals in Taiwan. The cloud-based data analytics program also enables improved patient management efficiency and decision making, comorbidity tracking, triage, and bi-directional communication. When given the green light by their physicians, individuals can directly receive continuous real-time therapeutic interventions from the evidence-based software. The multifaceted software propels Health2Sync ahead in the industry, bringing them closer to their end goal of equipping patients with the means to improve their understanding of insulin and thus better control their blood glucose levels.
Health2Sync is also collaborating with various companies in other regions. Its partnership with Novo Nordisk since 2019 in Japan, where the app is promoted under the name “SyncHealth,” enhances communication efficiency between patients and healthcare practitioners. With Switzerland-based company Ascensia Diabetes Care, Health2Sync has brought an integrated digital management solution incorporating Ascensia’s Contour Plus One blood glucose monitoring systems to patients in Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan. The “Patient Support Program” developed with Astellas targets to help patients understand the impact of medications and to provide real-time care through a partner in the mobile application. By integrating Mallya technology, the connected device dedicated to insulin pens, Health2Sync and Biocorp target to improve the quality and efficiency of diabetes care. The increasing uptake of this software around the world illustrates the growing need for a more efficient sidekick for personal health management and that Health2Sync is ready to be the go-to solution.
“Health2Sync solves the disconnect in traditional chronic disease management,” said Ed Deng, Co-founder and CEO of Health2Sync. “Our partnerships with top industry players have enabled accurate real-time data collection for personalized analyses and are able to encourage behavior change while tackling the disease at the root – a growing demand amongst patients.”
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Tackling the cost of battling diabetes in Taiwan
Annually, 160,000 patients are newly diagnosed with diabetes in Taiwan, a figure that is fast approaching the newborn rate, in reference to 2019 Diabetes Atlas Taiwan. According to Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Administration, diabetes can cost up to USD 1 billion, often landing it second or third place in terms of the financial burden on the healthcare system. About 50% of these diabetic patients also present with the number one disease on this list: chronic kidney disease. An estimated 85,000 dialysis patients derived from diabetic complications in Taiwan contribute to the nation’s USD 0.9 billion annual health insurance cost. The sum of the two amounts to US$ 1.9 billion dollars, which is accounted for 6% of the total health insurance budget not including other critical complications like blindness and amputation.
Aligned with the policy goals proposed by President Tsai Ing-wen to propel Taiwan’s digital health industry and alleviate national health expenses by improving national health insurance sustainability, Health2Sync aims to become a global chronic disease management powerhouse when it rolls out solutions to manage chronic kidney and cardiovascular diseases. The outcome of this initiative is expected to be a reduction in the social care burden and risk generated by dynamic pricing based on patient outcomes.
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