Digbi Health and Novo Nordisk pilot testing Genetic and Gut Microbiome-based Digital Solutions for Prevention of Obesity and Related Cardiometabolic Conditions

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Aug. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Digbi Health, leader in gut microbiome and genetic-based connected care solutions is enrolled in Novo Nordisk's Global Prevention Accelerator Program, to pilot test solutions for the prevention of obesity and related cardiometabolic conditions.

Digbi Health was selected based on a set of criteria including the ability to make a global impact and provide scalable digital solutions that can be adapted for local populations. In 2021, Novo Nordisk's Global Prevention Accelerator invited startups developing digital solutions to submit proposals outlining how they can enable individuals and communities to predict and/or prevent obesity. The Prevention Accelerator supports selected organizations with funding to pilot their solutions with Novo Nordisk.

"Digbi Health is leading, through innovation, the development of personalized food-as-medicine  treatment plans that target the root cause of GI and associated obesity and cardiometabolic illnesses. We are excited to collaborate with Novo Nordisk - the leading pharmaceutical company that is committed to the prevention and treatment of obesity and together we can deliver economical and scalable solutions worldwide," said Ranjan Sinha, CEO of Digbi Health. 

The specific pilot will examine if it is possible using multiomic₁ and lifestyle data to predict if a person has a high or low risk of obesity. This pilot will be based on the large population of Digbi-users.

Although it is known that obesity and cardiometabolic disease risks vary significantly by gender and ancestry and are linked to genetics and gut microbiome, current weight management and obesity treatment programs largely ignore these critical signals in developing care protocols (1). In a series of recent publications, Digbi Health has demonstrated efficacy in improving clinical outcomes by 500% when combining precision interventions for weight loss using gut microbiome signals, genetic risk, health coaching, and digitally delivered health and nutrition recommendations (1,2).

Digbi Health, working with leading employers, payers, and pharmaceutical companies, has successfully pioneered the use of AI and scientifically validated genome and gut microbiome signals along with financial, family, and work determinants of health, to identify, treat, and support individuals struggling with weight and co-occurring digestive and cardiometabolic conditions.

"Digbi Health has a unique artificial intelligence technology and we look forward to seeing it tested and gaining learnings from the pilot," said Katrine Luisa DiBona, Head of Public Affairs and Sustainability, Novo Nordisk.

Phase I of the pilot will wrap up at the end of September 2022 with the aim to move into the next phase of the pilot focused on scaling the Digbi Health solution to demonstrate large-scale validation.

1. Almonacid, D. E., Dulai, P. S., Francis-Lyon, P. A., Irudayanathan, C., Kachru, D., Kumbhare, S. V., Muthukumar, K. M., Ricchetti, R. R., Singh-Rambiritch, S., Sinha, R., Ugalde, J., & Uday, T. (2022). Digital Therapeutics Care Utilizing Genetic and Gut Microbiome Signals for the Management of Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: Results From a Preliminary Retrospective Study. Frontiers in Microbiology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2022.826916
2. Francis-Lyon, P. A., Irudayanathan, C., Junaid, I., Kachru, D., Muthukumar, K. M., Reddy-Sinha, C., Ricchetti, R. R., Sharma, G., Sinha, R., Singaravel, V., & Singh-Rambiritch, S. (2021). Leveraging Genomic Associations in Precision Digital Care for Weight Loss: Cohort Study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(5), e25401. https://doi.org/10.2196/25401

Digbi Health is the first company that partners with employers and health plans to deliver DNA and microbiome-based diagnostics and tailored whole-person treatment plans, for people struggling with digestive and associated obesity and cardiometabolic illnesses. Digbi Health diagnoses proven genetic, gut microbiome, food, lifestyle, and clinical signals to target the root cause of illness and provides individuals with 24/7 access to a multidisciplinary care team of doctors, nurses, dietitians, personal coaches, and genetic and gut microbiome experts.

¹ Multiomics is an approach where data sets of different 'omic' groups are combined during analysis, such as genomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, epigenomics, and microbiomics.

SOURCE Digbi Health