WellDoc Partners with Johnson & Johnson’s LifeScan and Secures $7.5M Series B Funding to Advance Digital Diabetes Care

Recently, WellDoc, the pioneer of mobile health founded in 2005, announced that it would partner with Johnson & Johnson’s LifeScan to integrate its diabetes management software, BlueStar, with LifeScan’s Bluetooth-enabled smart blood glucose monitoring system, OneTouch Verio Flex, and its companion app, OneTouch Reveal.

It also announced the closing of a $7.5 million Series B financing round, led by Johnson & Johnson Innovation, with participation from Samsung Ventures, Merck Global Health Innovation (GHI) Fund, Adage Capital Management, Excel Venture Management, Alexandria Venture Investments, and Hudson River Capital Partners. To date, WellDoc’s total funding has reached $29.5 million.

Notably, Blue Star is specifically designed for patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who require pharmacological management, functioning similarly to a therapeutic intervention. It is currently the only FDA-cleared, prescription-only diabetes management app available in the U.S. market. After patients input data such as medication dosage into the system, Blue Star analyzes information on current drug regimens and blood glucose fluctuations, performs trend comparisons, and transmits the analytical results to the attending physician to facilitate discussions on disease management.

Following its product integration with LifeScan, WellDoc stated that it would provide a comprehensive management system for patients with type 2 diabetes.

WellDoc CEO Kevin McRaith stated, “This collaboration, coupled with investment from J&J Innovation (JJDC), marks a strong start to the partnership for both companies.” He added, “For WellDoc itself, it is a historic step that further enhances our ability to improve the lives of millions of patients suffering from type 2 diabetes.”

Furthermore, in late 2015, LifeScan announced that its Reveal app would share data with third-party applications via Apple’s HealthKit. The introduction of this new feature means that Reveal users can also share their blood glucose measurement data with other healthcare apps, including Apple’s Health app, by connecting to HealthKit.

Additionally, in May 2015, a report on ClinicalTrials.gov revealed that LifeScan was conducting clinical trials to evaluate whether its OneTouch Verio blood glucose meter and companion app could help patients with diabetes manage and reduce their HbA1c levels (glycated hemoglobin, an indicator reflecting average blood glucose levels). According to the report at the time, LifeScan enrolled 148 patients with diabetes in a randomized controlled trial. One group used only the OneTouch Verio Flex blood glucose management system, while the other group used the OneTouch Verio meter along with its companion app. However, as of now, there have been no version updates for the OneTouch Verio.

Compiled by Wang Jinfan