Latest investments: Babylon, Bachem, Grupo Fleury & NextGen
Babylon increases registrations in Rwanda
Babylon Health is collaborating with Rwanda’s National ID Agency (NIDA) to expand the reach of its primary care services in the country.
The Babyl app has been available in Rwanda since 2016, accessible to people who could register their national ID number via a mobile phone. Since April this year, a product update has enabled patients to verify their identity and register without needing a phone.
As a result Babyl has seen a substantial increase in registrations - 64% of whom are women. Phone subscriptions are often held by only one person in a household and smartphone ownership is low. Additionally consultations via the app have risen by 55%.
Bachem's sales grow by 35%
Swiss pharmaceutical company Bachem has announced its sales have risen by 35% in 2021. Growth was registered across all product categories and sales regions. Additionally the company has created 107 new jobs since the start of the year.
Bachem expects to reach sales of CHF 500 million (£395 million) by the end of 2021, and an average annual rate of growth of 15% for the coming five years. The company is now planning investments of over CHF 500 million for the next five years to further expand capacity.
Thomas Meier, CEO of Bachem, commented: “The first half of 2021 has gone very well for Bachem. I am particularly pleased that we have been able to grow both our business, as well as our capacity and workforce simultaneously. Bachem is definitely on track to reach its company goals and continue to grow sustainably and profitably in the coming years.”
Sweetch partners with Grupo Fleury to tackle chronic disease in Brazil
Digital therapeutics firm Sweetch has entered into a strategic partnership with Grupo Fleury, one of Brazil’s leading healthcare providers. Fleury will implement Sweetch as part of the company’s Saúde iD telemedicine services to improve health care outcomes for patients living with chronic conditions.
Saúde iD is a platform that connects people with doctors and health providers, while Sweetch aims to treat people with obesity, pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes by supporting them to make lifestyle changes through a combination of AI, EI (emotional intelligence) and behavioural science.
Saúde iD's parent company Grupo Fleury aims to gradually accelerate its growth plan to build a Sweetch community of hundreds of thousands of users within three years. This includes plans to expand the use of Sweetch to other chronic health conditions including hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and post-cardiac events.
NextGen Healthcare announces 5,000% increase in telehealth visits
NextGen Healthcare has announced an increase of almost 5,000% in telehealth visits since March 2020.
The company's growth was boosted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as it enabled healthcare organisations in the US to provide virtual consultations to patients.
Two million virtual visits have been registered over a period of 18 months. Srinivas Velamoor, Chief Growth and Solution Officer for NextGen Healthcare, commented: "Our healthcare platform not only solves near-term access needs, but is presenting opportunities to work with providers to shape how care will be delivered in the future.”
