GB HealthWatch raises $3.5 million in pre-series C funding to expand genetic-based preventive health products and services for cardiometabolic diseases and Alzheimer's

SAN DIEGO, Dec. 21, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- GB HealthWatch, a genetic-based preventive health company, announced today it raised $3.5 million in pre-series C funding. The investors participating in the round are Trinity Power LLC, a series B investor, and the founder of GB HealthWatch. The company plans to use the funds to grow its national leadership position in advanced genetic testing and developing precision medicine applications for the prevention and treatment of dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease, and build the infrastructure of their preventive health ecosystem.

Distinguished from traditional genetics companies that focus primarily on rare monogenic diseases, GB HealthWatch is a pioneer in studying complex, polygenic diseases that can be effectively mitigated with preventive treatment. The pathophysiological processes that underlie cardiometabolic diseases and Alzheimer's start decades before the onset of symptoms; genetic testing can identify at-risk individuals before clinical symptoms manifest so that preventive treatment can be initiated before damage is done. "Knowing your genetics can help identify the specific root cause of a condition and most effective intervention," said Dr. Mendel Roth, Lead Scientist of Genetics and Molecular Biology at GB HealthWatch.

The value of genetic-based preventive health can be illustrated using familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) as an example. FH is relatively common, occurring in about 1 in every 250 individuals. An individual with a pathogenic FH mutation has a 15-20-fold higher risk of developing premature coronary heart disease. However, if diagnosed early, treatment with lipid-lowering medication and lifestyle modification can effectively halt the progression of the disease. This benefit is even more pronounced if FH is detected at a young age and treatment is started. Research shows that FH patients who initiated lipid-lowering therapies as a child had a 12-fold lower risk of developing coronary heart disease compared to their parents who did not initiate treatment until later in life.

Unfortunately, 90% of people living with FH in the US have not been diagnosed and therefore may never be treated. About 1.3 million people in the US have FH; without treatment, 50% of men and 30% of women living with FH are expected to experience a serious cardiovascular event such as heart attack or stroke before age 50 or 60, respectively. Genetic testing is the gold standard for FH diagnosis and identifying at-risk family members for preventive treatment.

As we are in the genomic health era, the challenges and opportunities converge on same path – how to apply genetic data for improving human health. GB is the first company that developed and brought to market comprehensive genetic testing for cardiometabolic diseases including dyslipidemia, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and Alzheimer's which are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality, globally. GBinsight genetic testing developed by GB HealthWatch is used by leading cardiologists, lipidologists, and endocrinologists, and recognized by the National Lipid Association.

With this round of pre-series C funding and subsequent series C funding, GB HealthWatch will further develop and refine a platform that will enable physicians to prescribe genomics-guided, precision therapeutics that will maximize clinical efficacy, limit unnecessary healthcare costs, and empower patients and their at-risk family members to engage in preventive care. "We are working to implement a digital preventive health ecosystem that can be applied on a population scale," said Dr. Li Shen, President of GB HealthWatch.

GB HealthWatch Products and Services

GBinsight Genetic Testing and Analysis for:

• Dyslipidemia & Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Diseases
• Obesity
• Type 2 Diabetes
• Nutritional Genomics

Digital Preventive Health:

• HealthWatch 360 Nutrition Therapy Application

Population Research:

• HealthWatch 360 Research Portal for academics, clinicians and research institutes to study diet and health interactions

About GB HealthWatch

GB HealthWatch is a genetic-based Preventive Health company. We develop state-of-the-art technologies to facilitate research on the molecular mechanisms, clinical efficacy, and cost-effectiveness of translating genetic insights into personalized prevention and treatment strategies for complex diseases. GB HealthWatch offers the following products and services:

• GBinsight Genetic Testing and Analysis
• HealthWatch 360 mobile app and online tool
• HealthWatch 360 Research Portal for academics, clinicians and research institutes to study diet and health interactions.

Visit the GB HealthWatch website to learn more.

Media Contact

Christina Troutner, GB HealthWatch, +1 (858) 224-9879, [email protected]

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SOURCE GB HealthWatch