7 Partnerships that Helped Google Conquer Healthcare

Verily Thrives in Healthcare Due to Collaborations

Ten years ago, Google was primarily thought of as a search engine and analytics company.  But the firm grew and through its Verily Lifesciences unit, it has made a significant impact on healthcare. Here are seven collaborations that show how Google’s Verily took the healthcare industry by storm. 

Verily Receives Significant Investment from Temasek

Asia has been known as an emerging market in healthcare. Everyone from Abbott Laboratories to Zimmer Biomet has made a play for the growing market. In 2017, Google’s Verily made its move on Asia. The company received an $800 million investment from Singapore-based Temasek to get a foothold in the Asia market.

Verily Dives Deeper into Genomics Market

In March, Google’s Verily began working with WuXi NextCODE to enhance comprehensive genomics capabilities. The partnership included hosting WuXi NextCODE's core suite of capabilities on Google Cloud and its availability on the Google Cloud Launcher marketplace.

Verily Takes CGM Further with Dexcom

Back in 2015, Google’s Verily partnered with Dexcom to further develop continuous glucose monitoring sensors that are smaller and less expensive. The partnership was described as a marriage between Google's miniaturized electronics platform and Dexcom's sensor technology.

Going All In With Sanofi

 Verily seems to have found its niche in diabetes. The company has numerous partnerships that reflect this. The one that stands out is Verily’s collaboration with Sanofi. The companies went all in and invested about $500 million to create a joint venture called Onduo. The partnership would bring together Verily’s experience in miniaturized electronics, analytics, and consumer software development, with Sanofi's clinical expertise and experience in bringing innovative treatments to people living with diabetes.

Verily Forms Verb with Johnson & Johnson

Surgical robotics is a thriving sector in healthcare. In 2015, Google’s Verily announced a partnership with Johnson & Johnson’s Ethicon to form Verb. The newly-formed company would work to advance surgical robotics. Late last year, Verily sold its interest in the joint venture to its partner Johnson & Johnson. 

Verily Enters Bioelectronics Market Through GSK JV

GlaxoSmithKline has made significant investments in the Bioelectronics market, so much so that it caught Verily’s attention. The companies got together and invested $715 million in the Galvani Bioelectronics joint venture. Galvani is tasked with developing miniaturized, implantable devices that can modify electrical nerve signals. The aim is to modulate irregular or altered impulses that occur in many illnesses.

Verily and Novartis To Develop Smart Contacts

Before Verily was established, Google’s first major collaboration was with Novartis in 2014. The firms partnered to develop a smart contact lens of sorts for diabetics. The partnership is significant because it was one of the first companies in healthcare to collaborate with Google. However, in 2018 the companies halted work on that particular aspect of the lens. Novarits would also go on separate from its Alcon division, which was the backbone of the partnership with Verily.