ObvioHealth Signs R&D Partnership with A*STAR to Identify and Develop Novel Digital Biomarkers

May 3, 2023 — NEW YORK — ObvioHealth, a pioneering virtual research organization (VRO) announces a partnership with A*STAR’s Singapore Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS) to identify better and more sensitive ways to measure and capture health outcomes. A*STAR’s SICS aims to identify biomarkers and associated treatments that can help populations manage subclinical symptoms more effectively.

“The proliferation of technology to capture health data has incentivized us to think more strategically about outcomes and how to measure them in new, more accurate ways,” comments Craig Gravina, Chief Technology Officer at ObvioHealth. “Many people suffer from health conditions that are not sufficiently severe to be diagnosed using current methods and are therefore not eligible for interventions. We are pleased to collaborate with A*STAR’s SICS to develop and validate more sensitive instruments that can bring relief to these populations.”

The first project within this collaboration will be to study subclinical mood disturbances in the general population. The project seeks to identify new digital biomarkers of depressive and anxious feelings, as well as stress, that can be measured and applied in real-life settings. Under the agreement, ObvioHealth will provide scientific input into study design as well as access to its ObvioGo^® platform for the management of participant data.

“Mood disturbances and feelings of stress are prevalent in today’s society. These impact not only the quality of life but may also contribute to other health issues such as cardiovascular, immunological, and gastrointestinal issues, and may ultimately affect our economic and societal potential. We hope to detect the pattern and severity of symptoms that define these conditions, with the ultimate goal of offering better research options to identify people at risk and evaluate potential treatments,” says Professor Jeroen Schmitt, Senior Principal Investigator at A*STAR’s SICS.