
Expediting US Market Entry for a German Digital Therapeutic via Breakthrough Device Designation
AT GLANCE
The Story
An international digital therapeutics (DTx) company has developed a range of mental health programs designed to address diverse indications including chronic pain, stress, panic, and more. They have achieved early market success in international markets outside of the United States, and are now looking to expand into the US.
The Ask
In pursuit of robust yet sustainable revenue growth, they engaged Decimal.health with a key inquiry: how to effectively navigate the FDA regulatory pathway and identify which of their products to launch as a non-DTx offering in the meantime for immediate revenue generation?
THE APPROACH
Decimal.health addressed the client's request through a dual-track approach. First, we conducted a comprehensive analysis to gauge the commercial potential within various indications, considering both regulated and non-regulated environments. This assessment informed our decision on which product to launch rapidly in the US without regulatory oversight. We also determined the optimal customer segments to target, devised a tailored go-to-market strategy, and outlined the commercial and product development roadmap.
Additionally, we examined the FDA regulatory pathways applicable to potential claims across different indications, factoring in success probabilities, approval timelines, and estimated costs. This analysis led us to recommend pursuing the Breakthrough Device Designation (BDD) pathway for a life-threatening indication. Armed with this insight, we actively supported our client in preparing and submitting the BDD application.
RESULTS
Our client unlocked its license to play in the US market in the short term with a direct-to-consumer (D2C) product and achieved Breakthrough Designation Device (BDD) status for a life-threatening disease. These milestones played a pivotal role in securing an additional funding round, totaling ~10M USD.
THE TEAM

