Mumbai-based Wellthy Therapeutics, a digital therapeutics company that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and patient centric design to improve patient outcomes for all healthcare stakeholders in diabetes care, announced results from a pilot designed to evaluate the feasibility and scalability of an artificial intelligence led lifestyle intervention to improve self-management of people living with type 2 diabetes as a supporting tool to existing care in India.
The results were featured via an oral presentation at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) 77th Scientific Sessions, taking place at the San Diego Convention Centre in San Diego, California.
The pilot results suggest that continuity of care between physician appointments for people with type 2 diabetes can be achieved with positive outcomes in a clinically significant, scalable and affordable way through this program. Participants that completed the pilot on average dropped their average blood sugar levels (HbA1c) by 0.59%. Amongst the participants that completed and dropped their HbA1c, the average drop observed was even higher at 1.04%. In addition, the participants showed a daily active usage of 78% for the duration of the 16 week programme.
“Such a clinically significant improvement in diabetes care and health amongst patients through a 100% digitally delivered behaviour change and lifestyle intervention has never been seen before in the Indian context" said Dr. Jothydev Kesavadev (MD, FRCP, FACP, FACE), Chairman & MD, Jothydev's Diabetes Research Centers, Kerela. "These are truly exciting times for diabetes care in India, with clinical evidence driven digital tools that augment the physician’s practice paving the way forward.”
India has one of the lowest healthcare - patient interaction time per year, and one of the highest average blood sugars at a population level in the world. It is in need of a scalable, affordable and clinically proven diabetes care augmentation that is scientific and globally recognized. This pilot represented the first proof of concept of a successful digital therapeutic intervention for people with type 2 diabetes in India. The pilot outcomes and its learnings served as the foundation of Wellthy Therapeutics’ core artificial intelligence powered digital therapeutic and integrated care platform.
“With over 70 million people with diabetes in India and an ever increasing growth rate, diabetes has become a pandemic in India and South Asia” said Dr. Banshi Saboo, MD
PhD, Chairman Dia-Care Ahmedabad, Secretary of Diabetes India. "The need for clinically proven digital tools and interventions that are accessible and affordable is very high, especially when they work incrementally and supportive to the existing standard of care.”
“Presenting at the ADA through an oral presentation is a remarkable feat for such a young company out of India. With an increasing focus on behaviour change, lifestyle modification and digital tools that facilitate the same, digital therapeutics is now being globally recognized” said Shilpa Joshi (M.Sc., RD), Consultant Dietitian, Mumbai Diet and Health centre. “It is my hope that India aggressively adopts digital therapeutics to improve health literacy and facilitate behaviour change in diabetes.”
“There is significant potential to solve the gaps in care by engaging and empowering patients, enabling an augmented extension of the doctor’s practice, and improving patient outcomes in a clinically significant, scalable and affordable way”, said Abhishek Shah, CEO of Wellthy Therapeutics. “Through the outcomes and learnings achieved in this pilot, Wellthy Therapeutics can better understand how our platform and program can help transform diabetes care in emerging markets. We are proud to pioneer digital therapeutics in India and South Asia, and to represent India on the global diabetes innovation stage.”