Universal Music Group (UMG) has inked what it calls a first-of-its-kind partnership with digital therapeutics company MedRhythms, that provides the latter company with access to UMG’s catalog for the purpose of providing prescription music to patients.
MedRhythms builds “direct stimulation solutions” that use clinical-grade sensors, software and music to help restore function lost to neurologic disease or injury.
The company’s platform is based on neuroscience that demonstrates how music can impact the human brain, target specific neural circuitry to enhance clinical outcomes and boost neuroplasticity.
MedRhythms is well funded, having closed a $25 million Series B financing round in July co-led by Morningside Ventures and Advantage Capital. The company has raised a total of $34 million in gross proceeds from private financings since inception.
MedRhythms’ digital therapeutics use music content that is curated and screened via the company’s patented process, which selects and customizes interventions to each user.
The process initially analyzes the content for the right characteristics to make it therapeutically valuable for the patients and, once this step is complete, curates clinical interventions for each individual patient.
MedRhythms and UMG are the first companies to develop an FDA-approved, prescription music platform.
MedRhythms is developing a patented platform of evidence-based, prescription digital therapeutics using music to address walking impairments.
This platform is based on neuroscience research that shows that auditory rhythm can be used to directly target the human motor system to address walking deficits caused by neurologic injuries and diseases, including stroke, multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson’s disease (PD), Alzheimer’s disease and cognitive impairment, and aging-in-place.
Due to positive early results in clinical trials, MR-001, MedRhythms’ flagship product intended for those living with chronic stroke walking deficits, received Breakthrough Device designation from the US Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for its potential to provide a more effective treatment for life-threatening or irreversibly debilitating conditions.
In addition to enabling MedRhythms to deliver prescription music to patients, Universal Music Group for Brands, UMG’s global brands partnership team, will provide MedRhythms with resources and insights related to data analytics, cultural intelligence and marketing.
UMG’s partnership with MedRhythms began as a collaboration between UMG for Brands and Havas Health.
UMG debuted on the Amsterdam stock exchange last Tuesday (September 21), with a market cap of $54 billion.
“Music has the power to transcend borders, cultures and languages to connect people and elevate the quality of life around the world. Now, with MedRhythms, we’re seeing the power of music harnessed to heal.”
Michael Nash, UMG’s Executive Vice President of Digital Strategy, said: “Music has the power to transcend borders, cultures and languages to connect people and elevate the quality of life around the world.
“Now, with MedRhythms, we’re seeing the power of music harnessed to heal. Our innovative collaboration with MedRhythms will enable UMG to help enhance neurologic treatment for patients across the US.
“We’ve played a central role in promoting music’s growing importance throughout the health and wellness industry – fitness, sleep, meditation – and in this pioneering alliance, we’re privileged to be engaged in extending music’s profound impact to medical therapy.”
“Partnering with UMG is a milestone for MedRhythms that will unlock innumerable doors to improving the quality of care we deliver to patients.”
Brian Harris, MedRhythms
Brian Harris, CEO and co-founder of MedRhythms, said: “Partnering with UMG is a milestone for MedRhythms that will unlock innumerable doors to improving the quality of care we deliver to patients.
“We are humbled and honored to be collaborating with the world leaders in music-based entertainment and matching this with our world-class scientific team to continue to push the envelope in both music and medicine while making a significant impact in the lives of patients who desperately need this care. This partnership will afford us the opportunity to leverage patient-preferred music to provide top clinical outcomes and build a product that patients are excited to use.”
