Boston-based Akili last week announced a shift toward a non-prescription business model with its OTC offerings. In doing so, the company enacted a workforce reduction of approximately 40%. It included the elimination of the company’s field sales force and market access team.
That move followed a January workforce reduction of 30%, which totaled 46 workers. The company is one of many to slash headcounts as layoffs took medtech by storm recently.
Akili’s launch for EndeavorOTC comes on the Google Play market for popular Android devices. According to a news release, of the estimated 11 million adults with ADHD in the U.S., approximately 40% use Androids. The company believes this marks a crucial step in offering an accessible non-drug treatment option to adults with ADHD.
More about the Akili EndeavorOTC offering
Akili develops the EndeavorRx video game for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The prescription treatment is delivered through a video game experience as a way to improve attention function as measured by computer-based testing.
The company launched EndeaverOTC, built on the EndeavorRx technology, in the Apple App Store in June of this year. The company believes the non-prescription model offers consumers access to differentiated and clinically validated technology. All the while, it removes the reliance on payers that stand in the way of patients trying to access treatment.
A recent clinical trial showed that EndeavorOTC significantly improved focus, attention and overall quality of life in adults with ADHD symptoms. On average, focus improved by 85% and more than one-third of participants no longer exhibited an attention deficit. Nearly three-quarters reported quality of life improvements, too.
“Video games are an established part of life for the majority of American adults,” said Jon David, chief product officer of Akili. “By delivering an ADHD treatment via video game, we believe we’re tapping into established habits and making a clinically-proven treatment more accessible and approachable than ever before. With the launch of EndeavorOTC on Android, we’re continuing to break down barriers to care, making our treatment available to millions of adults who may benefit.”
