Nimble Science

Nimble Science, a Canadian digital health company founded in 2018, is focused on providing access to the previously unreachable small intestine to generate precision multi-omic datasets. The Calgary-based firm was established by Dr. Sabina Bruehlmann (CEO) and Dr. Joseph Wang (CTO). Dr. Wang, who holds a PhD in Biomedical/Medical Engineering from the University of Calgary, was inspired to invent the company's core technology by his father, a gastroenterologist in China who sought better tools to assess the small intestine. Dr. Bruehlmann brings over two decades of experience in commercializing early-stage medical devices, holding a BSc in Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering. The two were introduced at Creative Destruction Labs Rockies in 2019, combining their expertise to advance the technology.

The company's principal offering is the SIMBA™ GI Health Platform, centered around a proprietary, ingestible device called the SIMBA™ Capsule. This single-use, pill-sized capsule is designed for at-home use, where it travels passively through the gastrointestinal tract. It is engineered to open based on pH levels, collecting a fluid sample directly from the deepest regions of the small intestine, an area that is difficult to assess with traditional methods and distinct from stool samples. After autonomously collecting and sealing the intestinal fluid to prevent contamination, the capsule is retrieved and mailed back for analysis. Nimble Science then performs multi-omic analysis on the fluid biopsy, examining metagenomics, metabolomics, proteomics, and other biological data points.

Nimble Science operates on a business model that provides its capsule technology and data analytics platform to a range of clients, including academic researchers, government bodies, pharmaceutical companies, and consumer health and wellness brands. The company generates revenue by selling the capsules and providing access to its GI intelligence platform, which processes the collected samples to deliver actionable health insights. These insights support partners in areas like therapeutic development, diagnostics, and understanding the impact of products such as probiotics on the gut microbiome. After a period in stealth mode, the company announced a seed funding round of over $2 million USD in April 2023 to advance its platform and expand commercial partnerships. This was followed by additional capital from Seventure Partners in January 2024.

Keywords: gut microbiome, small intestine sampling, ingestible capsule, precision medicine, multi-omic data, GI health, diagnostics, digital health, SIMBA Capsule, microbiome analysis, liquid biopsy, Joseph Wang, Sabina Bruehlmann, gut health technology, metabolomics, proteomics, metagenomics, therapeutic development, clinical trials, Lallemand Health Solutions