This week, Virta made significant progress in our ongoing quest to eliminate type 2 diabetes from an entire region in Indiana. We are incredibly proud to bring the Virta Treatment to all clinically-eligible employees and dependents of Tippecanoe County Government and the City of Lafayette Government.
Tippecanoe County, and specifically West Lafayette, is also the home to our long-standing partnership with the largest employer in the region, Purdue University. The common thread among Purdue, Tippecanoe County Government and the City of Lafayette Government is that they all have an unwavering commitment to provide the absolute best healthcare to their employees. All share our vision that type 2 diabetes is not a life sentence, and that people living with this condition deserve to live a diabetes-free life—fewer medications, more energy, reduced complications, and overall peace of mind about their health.
Beyond patient health, our work in Indiana has financial implications, too. Recent research from the American Diabetes Association puts the total economic burden of type 2 diabetes in the United States at $327B. In Tippecanoe county alone, some estimates suggest the burden is north of $50 million.
Based on data from our clinical trial, the Virta Treatment saves payers an estimated $9600 over the first two years for each person living with type 2 diabetes. With the progress we’ve made so far, we foresee drastic economic improvements in the near future for the county. It’s also clear given the traction we’ve seen in other areas, along with Virta’s coverage of the entire nation, that this is fully replicable across the United States.
There is one other reason Indiana holds special significance for Virta. Our clinical trial, now 2.5 years in length and based in West Lafayette, is a foundational piece of our company and underscores our commitment to delivering science and evidence-based treatment options that rethink the status quo in chronic disease care.
In fact, just this week, we added peer-reviewed outcomes to our existing research, and demonstrated that in addition to 60% diabetes reversal rates at one year, the Virta Treatment improved 22 of 26 markers of cardiovascular disease risk for our clinical trial participants. Those in the usual care group experienced no improvement in any of the same categories. Our results create a massive win for both payers and patients, many of whom have cardiovascular complications associated with diabetes.
We couldn’t be more excited to partner with Tippecanoe County and City of Lafayette Governments to help them save money and create a more vibrant workforce, and most importantly, help their employees achieve a better quality of life. If you are a benefits lead or health plan leader hoping to achieve the same for your organization, we’d love to speak with you.
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