RedBrick Health, a Minneapolis-based health IT firm, and digital health company Carrot have partnered in an effort to help individuals quit smoking.
Through the newly announced joint effort, RedBrick will offer some of its customers access to Carrot’s smoking cessation platform called Pivot. Additionally, RedBrick will have category market exclusivity to market Pivot through 2018.
Redwood City, California-based Carrot is not to be confused with Carrot Health, a Minneapolis startup that seeks to bring together the worlds of consumer data and healthcare data to provide a solution that allows companies to drive revenue growth.
RedBrick develops corporate wellness programs for various organizations, such as employers.
Carrot’s Pivot platform relies on technology, coaching and a breath sensor to help individuals on the path to quitting.
Users are equipped with a breath sensor that monitors carbon monoxide in the breath. Pivot’s app allows them to record their breath samples, log their cigarettes and keep track of the money they spend on smoking. It also enables users to read content and complete lessons regarding cessation. Through the app, users can communicate with a human coach to gain additional feedback and encouragement.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
Overall, Carrot stresses a learning process for cessation. Quitting isn’t something that happens overnight — rather, it takes time.
“We obtained FDA clearance for our breath sensor system in fall 2017 and recently launched at our first self-insured employer clients to help their employees quit smoking,” Carrot CEO David Utley said in a statement. “Our partnership with RedBrick Health accelerates our commercialization of Pivot, as well as our mission to engage and empower millions of people to quit smoking.”
Khosla Ventures, R7 Partners and Salesforce’s Marc Benioff have invested in the California company.
Other organizations have also broken into the smoking cessation space.
Somatix is an Israeli company that uses wearables to track unhealthy behaviors and send alerts to change an individual’s behavior. With the help of a $6 million Series A round last year, Somatix intends to add new products and increase market traction for SmokeBeat, a smoking cessation program.
Photo: Natee Meepian, Getty Images
