Happify Health announced Monday it has entered into an agreement with healthcare services and pharmaceutical company Zuellig Pharma to commercialize two of its prescription digital therapeutics in Asia.

The deal includes Ensemble, Happify's therapeutic for treating major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder, and a prescription digital therapeutic for chronic insomnia. The PDTs will first be available in South Korea and Taiwan, followed by Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Philippines, Hong Kong, Macau, Brunei, Myanmar and Cambodia.

"As prescription digital therapeutics is an emerging healthcare segment, we have evaluated a number of product offerings in search of a robust solution that could be effectively commercialized in all of our territories," Louis Payet, head of M&A and digital therapeutics lead at Zuellig Pharma, said in a statement.

"Happify Health impressed us with their unique product configuration, commitment to generating strong clinical evidence and focus on patient retention through the treatment journey. We believe these new solutions will make a greater impact on the patients we serve and improve the equitable access of healthcare to patients in the Asia region."

WHY IT MATTERS

Mental healthcare became a serious concern during the COVID-19 pandemic, as more people reported symptoms of anxiety and depression. According to an international survey published in Sleep Medicine, 36.7% reported clinical insomnia symptoms and 17.4% met the criteria for a probable insomnia disorder from May to August 2020. The survey also found 25.6% of participants with probable anxiety and 23.1% with probable depression

Happify is pitching the commercialization agreement as a way to expand access to its prescription digital therapeutics.

"Zuellig Pharma is a market leader in pharmaceutical products across Asia and an ideal partner for us as we enter markets where demand is high for solutions like Ensemble and digital therapeutics. We are thrilled to share that Zuellig Pharma will be deploying these solutions in 13 countries throughout the region," Chris Wasden, head of pharma specialty solutions and corporate strategy at Happify Health, said in a statement.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has substantially increased the prevalence and incidence of MDD, GAD and chronic insomnia, and we look forward to providing non-pharmacological therapies as another treatment option for those suffering, regardless of their location."

THE LARGER TREND

Happify rolled out Ensemble in July, months after it announced it has raised $73 million in March last year. The therapeutic – Happify's first prescription product – is not cleared by the FDA at this time, but the company is currently gathering real-world evidence for its submission.

"So in the last eight years, that's been our focus as we move forward from a direct-consumer to an employer health-plan market, and now towards more pharmaceutically oriented products," Wasden told MobiHealthNews at the time.