A new study jointly conducted by digital chronic care management tool Omada and Evidation Health found that patients using Omada’s diabetes management program reduced their A1c level and average of 0.8 over the course of the clinical research. 

The study included a total of 195 participants with Type 2 diabetes who had an average baseline A1c of 8.93%. Researchers reported that those participants with an A1c level of over 9% had an average reduction of 1.4%.

The study was conducted on Evidation’s research platform, and ran from November of 2019 to July of 2020. Because the study was centered on blood samples, when the pandemic hit, researchers provided participants with at-home test kits to provide the sample. 

The study also found that participants with high cholesterol saw an average decrease of 39 points. 

While the results released this morning are initial findings but the companies said that full results will be published later this year.

WHY IT MATTERS 

According to the CDC, 34.2 million US adults have diabetes. Type 2 diabetes is the most common kind of diabetes, and it typically develops over time. Diabetes are at an increased risk for health issues related to the eyes, kidneys, heart, brain, feet and nerves, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Type 2 diabetes can be managed with a combination of exercise and healthy eating.

“These results demonstrate the power of the Omada Diabetes Program to meaningfully improve quantitative and qualitative measures of health in individuals with Type 2 Diabetes, including in those at higher risk of diabetes-related complications,” Jessie Juusola, executive director of digital health outcomes at Evidation Health, said in a statement. “Evidation is proud to enable rapid, reliable, and decentralized evidence generation for this critical intervention, especially during COVID-19.”

THE LARGER TREND 

Omada got its start in the diabetes space and has a long history of research. In February, an article published in Preventing Chronic Disease found that low-income patients using Omada’s diabetes-prevention app achieved weight loss, but no major difference in HbA1c levels after a year of use. 

But diabetes isn’t the only place where Omada is taking bets. In May, the company purchased musculoskeletal care company Physera, which includes an app-based platform and virtual consultations with a physical therapist. 

Omada is hardly alone in the chronic care space. One of Omada’s biggest competitors in the chronic care management space is Livongo, which was recently acquired by Teladoc for $18.5 billion. A major focus of the merger was chronic care assets.

ON THE RECORD 

“When choosing a digital diabetes solution for their population, decision-makers deserve real, verified clinical results,” Omada cofounder and CEO Sean Duffy said in a statement. “From its inception, Omada has prioritized rigorous evaluation of our programs. Today’s results show again that Omada’s programs deliver real-world outcomes that drive real differences in people’s lives, and real clinical results.”