Novartis Acquires Amblyotech to Advance Digital Therapeutics for Amblyopia Treatment Through Gamified Therapy

By Feng Qiu

On April 20, Novartis announced the completion of its acquisition of the startup software company Amblyotech, with the transaction amount undisclosed. Novartis stated that it will continue to collaborate with Ubisoft and McGill University to further develop digital therapeutics for amblyopia.

Source: Novartis OfficialWeb

It is estimated that approximately 3% of the global population is affected by amblyopia. If left untreated, amblyopia can lead to vision loss and impair quality of life; in some cases, patients may even struggle to maintain independent functioning. Currently, adjunctive therapies for amblyopia are limited, primarily consisting of occlusion patches and atropine. Furthermore, poor patient adherence contributes to the low success rate of amblyopia treatment. Novartis aims to develop Amblyotech’s software into an engaging game-based medical device, conducting a proof-of-concept study in the second half of 2020 to establish it as a digital therapeutic for amblyopia.

Under the agreement, Amblyotech provides active gaming and passive video technologies to be used in conjunction with 3D glasses for training the eyes to perceive complete images. Amblyotech’s software employs a unique visual presentation method known as dichoptic display, which presents different images to each eye using specialized algorithms. In early clinical studies, treatment with Amblyotech’s software resulted in greater and more rapid improvements in visual acuity among both pediatric and adult patients compared to standard care.

Source: Amblyotech Official Website

In 2015, Ubisoft was already collaborating with Amblyotech to develop a game-based therapy for amblyopia. Meanwhile, numerous gaming studios were partnering with medical institutions to explore video games as therapeutic interventions. For instance, Glitchers developed a mobile game that assists physicians in diagnosing early-stage dementia by collecting data on how individuals navigate different spatial environments. In 2020, with the advancement of the intelligent era, digital therapeutics are likely to see further development this year.