DayTwo, which provides personalized dietary recommendations according to an intestinal bacteria profile, has announced the signing of a cooperation agreement with Janssen Biotech, the pharmaceutical division of Johnson & Johnson. Particulars of the agreement were not disclosed, but it initially includes joint research, and probably joint development of a product at a later stage.
The service provided by DayTwo is a diagnostic process for intestinal bacteria and an app that recommends to the user what food he personally should eat in order to maintain a balanced blood sugar level.
Janssen is one of the pharmaceutical companies that have announced a focus on intestinal bacteria, their effect on health, and their interaction with various drugs. Janssen's interest in DayTwo indicates its appreciation for the company's science.
The underlying algorithm for DayTwo's product is based on research conducted at the Weizmann Institute of Science by Prof. Eran Segal and Dr. Eran Elinav. The company has been funded so far by Check Point Software Technologies Ltd. (Nasdaq: CHKP) cofounder Marius Nacht, who recently began investing in the life sciences. The company is currently in the middle of a financing round designed to raise $8 million, with participation from the Mayo Clinic, which is also conducting a joint trial with the company. DayTwo is currently marketing its product as a wellness product, although CEO Lihi Segal says that many of its users are diabetics or pre-diabetics.
The cooperation agreement with Janssen is designed to provide information that will help DayTwo to submit the product for approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and corresponding authorities in other countries for marketing as a proven medical product that prevents or slows the development of diabetes.
DayTwo's product is already being marketed in Israel and is on the verge of being launched in the US. Lihi Segal says, "The insurance companies are not necessarily waiting for FDA approval before they provide reimbursement for the use of products of this type, if they are convinced that the product contributes to preventing the disease. We are in touch with all the companies in in Israel and the US. Cooperation with Janssen and receiving medical approval can enable us to launch differentiated products: one for the wellness market and an approved and proven medical product, which will be marketed and priced accordingly."
Published by Globes [online], Israel Business News - www.globes-online.com - on February 16, 2017
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