“We are excited by the FDA approval because it allows this device to be used at home for testing to assess nutrient status. It’s a very consumer centric way for whole blood testing,” said Allison Baker, vice president of new business development.
Baze analyzes the test results and uses that information to offer what is says are nutrition plans and supplement subscriptions specifically curated for individual customers' needs and deficiencies.
Deficiencies corrected quickly
Baze claims its patented Nutrition Information System, a proprietary analytics platform that maps an individual's nutrient levels against leading research to determine his or her ideal supplement regimen, can eliminate 73% of nutrient deficiencies in just three months. That’s based on unpublished data the company derived from baseline and three-month testing results from its consumers.
Among the supplements offered through Baez’s monthly subscription program are choline, for healthy brain and nervous system support; magnesium, for restful sleep, nerve health, and digestive support; and Vitamin D for cognitive function, libido, and fertility.
After developing phase in Berlin, Germany over five years, Baze launched in the United States in 2018 under an IRB-monitored study. In August 2019, Baze raised $6M in Series A funding led by Nature's Way, one of America's leading supplement companies. In addition to expansion of their executive team, Baze utilized the additional funds to broaden their nutrient panel, deepen their data analytics, and begin exploratory work into partner-driven food subscription programs.
Pain free innovation
Baker said Baze’s essential innovation is a convenient, reliable and virtually pain free way to conduct the whole blood testing. The company’s device uses an array of very fine needles to pierce the skin and supply a sufficient flow of blood and then negative pressure in the device itself whisks the blood away. All the user has to do after activating the device is to clap the lid closed, she said.
“A lot of people have concerns about testing at home because of an aversion to needles or blood. In many systems you have to push a drop of blood out and then get it into a tube or onto a pad. In our device all you have to do is to watch to see if a window darkens slightly,” she said.
Baker said the FDA approval is a milestone but not the end goal for the company. Baze currently tests fort the levels of eight different nutrients.
“We are looking to expand our panel over time,” she said. “It’s a really strong vote of confidence from the FDA that we have hit this regulatory milestone.”