DTx Discovery

Discovery of Digital Therapeutics (DTx) follows a structured and methodical process, much like traditional drug discovery.

• Target Identification,
• Hit Identification, and
• Lead Optimization.

Target Identification

• Domains and Constructs: Organized into broad functional domains (e.g., Cognitive Systems, Negative/Positive Valence Systems).
• Multi-Level Analysis: Examines genes, molecules, circuits, behavior, and self-reports to create a comprehensive view of DTx target and ‘undruggable’ opportunities.
• Dimensional Approach: Views symptoms along a spectrum, allowing for variation across conditions and populations.
• Cross-Diagnostic: Encourages research across different disorders, offering insights into shared mechanisms.

Hit Identification

Once the target is identified, the process moves to screening potential digital interventions—these could be algorithms, behavioral models, or software-driven protocols that show the potential to interact with the identified targets effectively. The goal at this phase is to find “hits”—early-stage interventions that demonstrate initial promise in modulating the desired pathways or outcomes.

Lead Optimization

From the pool of hits, a lead candidate is selected. This candidate represents the most promising digital therapeutic intervention, one that not only targets the identified pathways but also offers potential clinical efficacy. During this stage, the intervention is refined, tested, and adjusted, both to improve its therapeutic effect and to mitigate any early-stage risks. The outcome is a well-defined digital therapeutic candidate ready for preclinical testing and further development.

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Throughout all phases of the discovery process, we follow an evolutionary approach with a Target Product Profile guided by the V-model.

At the conclusion of the discovery phase, we have a lead candidate with an initial risk profile.

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