Carrot collaborates to roll-out digital smoking cessation service

Digital health company Carrot gained FDA approval for its smoking cessation app in November, and is now working with another tech firm to expand its launch into the US market.

The Redwood City, California-based company has entered into a partnership with RedBrick Health, a Minneapolis-based health tech and services company, to provide early access to Carrot's smoking-cessation platform, Pivot.

It will work with RedBrick's 'engagement platform' and complete well-being solution to boost uptake of the service.

The companies have agreed a deal in which RedBrick will have category exclusivity to market Pivot during 2018 to its roster of client companies.

[caption id="attachment_39015" align="alignnone" width="180"] David Utley[/caption]

"We obtained FDA clearance for our breath sensor system in Fall 2017 and recently launched at our first self-insured employer clients to help their employees quit smoking," said Carrot CEO David S. Utley, M.D.

"Our partnership with RedBrick Health accelerates our commercialisation of Pivot, as well as our mission to engage and empower millions of people to quit smoking."

Pivot is a tech-enabled smoking-cessation platform that aims to fundamentally change both the scale and tools of smoking cessation. Rather than duplicating the phone-based or classroom approach of typical cessation programmes—which few smokers sign up for—Pivot offers an OTC carbon monoxide breath sensor, consumer-grade smartphone app, human coaching, and innovative approach to behavioural science.

The company says its approach “starts with learning, rather than quitting” and says Pivot has achieved enrolment rates several times the national average for employer-delivered cessation programmes.

"RedBrick has built its reputation on providing an innovative and integrative engagement platform, as well as a complete well-being solution that delivers better experience, meaningful engagement and real business results," said RedBrick CEO Dan Ryan.

"Pivot represents a completely new and innovative solution for smokers that we're excited to offer our clients."

Carrot's founder David S. Utley, M.D. is a former head and neck surgeon at Stanford and medical device entrepreneur. Carrot says its goal is to combine technology and behavioural science to tackle smoking, which remains the world's largest public health crisis in terms of cost, illness, and death.

It wants to help employers avoid the healthcare costs and lost productivity associated with smoking, and teaming up with RedBrick will help in this goal. RedBrick is one of a growing number of companies operating health and wellness programmes for firms and their employees in the US.

RedBrick says it now provides services for hundreds of organisations, and aims to improve employee health and the company’s bottom line.