Viome acquires precision nutrition company Naring Health

The deal includes Viome also buying Foodome and DiscernDX

Viome Life Sciences is a company that was founded with the mission of understanding the changes in human biochemistry at the onset and during the progression of chronic diseases so they can be prevented, diagnosed early, and reversed. It uses AI analysis, early intervention, and precision nutrition to develop diagnostics and therapeutics for each individual by truly understanding what’s happening beneath the surface.

Now it's looking to go further into personalized nutrition and longevity, and to do that it has acquired Naring Health, a digital health and wellness company that provide access to individualized clinical and molecular data to empower informed decisions.

Naring Health was born out of a merger between Foodome and DiscernDX (formerly known as Applied Proteomics), both of which Viome is acquiring as part of the deal. DiscernDX gives customers access to individualized clinical and molecular data, making regular health monitoring, early disease detection, and personalized care a reality for every individual.

"DiscernDX takes a holistic, molecular-level view to identify how analytes work together and affect the body’s systems at scale," Viome founder and CEO Naveen Jain, told VatorNews.

Foodome, meanwhile, identifies all bioactive compounds in every food and uses network science to understand the connection between the bioactive ingredients in the food, affect of bioactives in the food on the genetic pathways, and what genetic pathways are involved in a particular diseases. By building a comprehensive database of various foods’ biochemical networks, Foodome is working towards true nutritional transparency and its full effects on the human body.

"Foodome’s technology grants us a profound insight into all the bioactive compounds present in foods and their effects on specific gene networks. By integrating this with Viome's existing data on the gene networks associated with various diseases, we can fine-tune our nutritional recommendations for food and supplements with unparalleled precision," Jain explained.

"Ultimately, we aim to leverage this technology to enhance our range of personalized health solutions. This includes nutrition strategies targeting chronic condition prevention and diagnostic tests designed to detect diseases at their earliest stages. Our vision is to revolutionize personalized nutrition and diagnostic products in ways unprecedented for consumers."

No financial terms of the acquisition were disclosed, but it was revealed that this was primarily an IP acquisition for Viome, meaning very few of the Naring Health employees will be joining Viome’s workforce as Naring Health is fully consolidated into the company's operations. 

"By combining resources, including key patents and other intellectual property, Viome now has the ability to further enhance its personalized food recommendations and personalized product formulas with greater precision. As two leaders in the health industry, the strategic acquisition is helping usher in a new age of nutrition," said Jain.

The acquisition comes off the heels of Viome’s latest funding announcement, in which it closed a $86.5 million Series C funding round, bringing its total raise to $175 million. The company also expanded into the oral health space with two groundbreaking tests, Oral Health Intelligence Test which is for consumers, and Oral Health Pro with CancerDetect which is for patients, offered by dental professionals. 

"We stand on the brink of a transformative era in precision health, where each individual can tailor their nutrition to their unique needs. We embrace and integrate technologies that can amplify our capabilities in order to accelerate our momentum towards making illness optional," said Jain.

"With the collective brilliance of scientists and entrepreneurs from around the world, and by joining forces with aligned entities like Naring Health, we're elevating our promise to provide unparalleled health insights and solutions with increased precision. Our mission is not just to react, but to proactively reshape the health paradigm, championing food as medicine. Through collaboration and innovation, we can make a significant impact."