Hello and welcome to the A16Z Journal Club, our podcast where we cover recent scientific advances in

bio, why they matter, and how to take them from proof of principle to practice.

I'm Lauren Richardson.

Today's episode covers the topic of digital therapeutics, given that earlier this month, the FDA approved its first ever prescription video game.

And since this is Journal Club, we go into one of the key

clinical trials underpinning this historic decision, published recently in Lancet

Digital Health by Scott Collins and colleagues, which evaluated this game's ability to improve attention

and kids with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD.

Our sister podcast, 16 Minutes on the news, also covered this topic,

debating the bigger picture questions of what is and isn't a

digital therapeutic and where pricing and regulation comes in.

You can find that episode at A16Z.com

forward slash 16 minutes.

A16Z BioD, Bio Deal Team Partner,

former MD and entrepreneur Justin Larkin joins me in this discussion

where we cover the pros and cons of this video game compared to traditional pharmacological

therapies.

The game specifically targets the attention impairments

in 8 to 12 year olds by having them help an avatar navigate

a digital environment in the face of other distractions. We also discuss how the

randomized control clinical trial or RCT was designed, the limitations of the

study and the open questions to be addressed.

...