Kaia Health, makers of smartphone apps to support in-home treatment of chronic conditions, has raised $10 million in funding to help support its U.S. rollout.
The series A round, led by Balderton Capital, will help the London- and Munich-based company open a new office in New York City and fund additional clinical studies of digital therapeutics aimed at more indications.
Its back pain app uses a smartphone’s motion-tracking technology to offer users real-time feedback in a variety of daily exercises, as well as relaxation techniques and education, and is currently offered free of charge by some European health insurance companies.
Meanwhile, its app focused on chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder recently demonstrated it could help reduce symptoms through cardiovascular and muscle exercises in a pilot study, tailored through algorithms based on each user’s performance.
Patients can also contact a coach through the app, and access information on breathing and coughing techniques as well as nutrition and medication tracking. While that app is currently available in German, the company plans to translate it into English and other languages.
Chronic back pain is estimated to affect 100 million people in the U.S. annually, and it is the No. 1 reason why people are prescribed painkillers, according to Kaia. Meanwhile, in the U.K., about 30% of all general practitioner appointments are related to musculoskeletal pain.
“Over the last 12 months, we’ve demonstrated a universal, unmet need for affordable and accessible digital therapy products, such as our world’s first computer vision-powered back pain app,” said Konstantin Mehl, co-founder and CEO of Kaia Health. “These improve treatment paths for patients and reduce costs for payers in healthcare around the globe.”