Click Therapeutics Expands into Obesity and Cardiometabolic Disease with Better Therapeutics Acquisition

Click Therapeutics, Inc., a prominent innovator in the field of prescription digital therapeutics, has announced a significant expansion of its developmental efforts in obesity and cardiometabolic disease. This strategic move involves the acquisition of several crucial assets from Better Therapeutics, Inc., including the first FDA-authorized prescription digital therapeutic for type 2 diabetes, AspyreRx (BT-001), and the recently FDA Breakthrough Device Designation recipient, BT-004, for the treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Also included are BT-002, designed to reduce blood pressure in hypertension patients, and BT-003, aimed at lowering LDL cholesterol in hyperlipidemia patients.

This acquisition marks a substantial enhancement of Click’s portfolio, significantly bolstering its pipeline of innovative digital treatments targeting obesity, diabetes, and other cardiometabolic diseases. These additions will synergize with Click's existing assets in areas such as psychiatry, central nervous system (CNS) disorders, and pain management.

Over the past few years, Click has made significant strides in the obesity and cardiometabolic disease space, highlighted by the development of CT-181, a digital therapeutic candidate for obesity. The company has also conducted extensive research involving patients, healthcare providers, and insurers to better understand and address the evolving needs in this rapidly growing field. Among the primary focuses have been early discovery efforts to identify features that can significantly enhance the outcomes and value of anti-obesity and cardiometabolic medications. These features include smart titration and personalized side effect management.

Rich DeNunzio, Chief Commercial Officer of Click Therapeutics, emphasized the potential for advanced digital therapeutics to enhance patient care and provider capabilities in the cardiometabolic space. He noted that the current one-size-fits-all approach to obesity management could be significantly improved by leveraging innovative digital therapeutics tailored to individual patient needs. This personalized approach has the potential to improve patient outcomes and create new, data-driven contracting models with payers. By collaborating with pharmaceutical companies, payers, providers, and patients, Click aims to integrate these capabilities with the latest drug developments, thereby transforming obesity care and helping partners succeed in a competitive market.

Obesity is a chronic and complex metabolic disease influenced by both biological and neuro-behavioral factors. Effective management requires personalized treatment plans that consider an individual’s biology, psychology, and environment. Digital therapeutics can offer tailored neuro-behavioral treatments that support long-term outcomes by working in tandem with medications. Such drug-software combination treatments aim to improve clinical results, enhance the patient experience, and increase treatment persistence compared to pharmacotherapy alone. Furthermore, data from real-world use of these smart treatments can support appropriate patient selection, facilitate value-based contracting, and maximize benefits for all stakeholders.

The integration of Better Therapeutics’ intellectual property with Click’s development plans is expected to accelerate the creation of a top-tier digital therapy for chronic weight management. The resulting digital therapeutic will be optimized to work alongside anti-obesity and diabetes medications, such as GLP-1s, both current injectables and future oral formulations. This new product will combine AspyreRx’s clinically-validated digital behavioral therapy, developed over nine years, with Click’s AI-enabled platform to deliver advanced digital treatment methodologies.

Han Chiu, Chief Technology Officer of Click Therapeutics, highlighted the immediate benefits of combining their latest engagement technology with Better’s therapeutic core, allowing for efficient delivery of enhanced drug-software combination products. This integration is expected to result in superior patient outcomes and valuable real-world data insights for healthcare providers and payers.

Click Therapeutics has a strong track record of developing digital therapeutics, including efforts in preventing migraines, treating major depressive disorder in collaboration with Otsuka, managing schizophrenia with Boehringer Ingelheim, and addressing opioid use disorder with Indivior.

In summary, Click Therapeutics is poised to make significant advancements in the treatment of obesity and cardiometabolic diseases by integrating Better Therapeutics’ assets into their innovative digital therapeutic platform, promising improved patient outcomes and enhanced clinical benefits.