Lyfebulb: Lyfebulb Partners with UnitedHealth Group to Support Patient-Driven Innovations for People with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

NEW YORK, 2018-01-17 14:00 CET (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --
Lyfebulb, a chronic disease-focused, patient-empowerment platform that connects
patients, industry and investors to support user-driven innovation, is
partnering with UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) to launch an innovation challenge
featuring new businesses and products aimed at treating inflammatory bowel
disease (IBD). 

According to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, up to 1.3 million
people in the United States are affected by IBD, which includes Crohn's disease
(CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Lyfebulb and UnitedHealth Group will help
raise awareness for the conditions and stimulate user-driven innovation. By
linking entrepreneurs with representatives from UnitedHealth Group and
Lyfebulb, the partnership will spotlight the entrepreneurs' efforts and ideas,
and provide professional discussion, direction and inspiration. 

The innovation challenge, to take place in the spring and summer of 2018, will
be open to entrepreneurs living with IBD, or who have family members living
with IBD, who have founded a company to develop an innovative idea for better
management of IBD using pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical devices or
consumer products.  Eligibility criteria and official rules will be announced
by Lyfebulb in April. UnitedHealth Group will host an innovation event in July
for 10 finalists. A panel of judges will award cash prizes to three winners, to
be used for their company's further development of the winning innovations. 

"Patients living with chronic disease and caregivers caring for someone with
chronic disease understand the many challenges they face and are often in the
best position to offer tangible solutions," said Deneen Vojta, M.D., executive
vice president, Research & Development, UnitedHealth Group. "UnitedHealth
Group's partnership with Lyfebulb will help place the patient at the center of
early-stage innovation, thus providing us a unique opportunity to learn from
and be inspired by patient-entrepreneurs." 

"This partnership with UnitedHealth Group in IBD means a tremendous amount to
Lyfebulb in our efforts to enhance patient-driven innovation," said Dr. Karin
Hehenberger, CEO and Founder of Lyfebulb. "Continuing to build on the concept
of patient entrepreneurs and partnering with leaders across health care are key
components to fulfilling our mission to improve the quality of life of people
living with chronic disease." 

Press Contact for Lyfebulb:
Karin Hehenberger, MD, PhD, CEO Lyfebulb, phone: [phone] email:
[e-mail] 

About Lyfebulb
Lyfebulb is a chronic disease focused, patient empowerment platform that
connects patients, Industry (manufacturers and payers) and investors to support
user-driven innovation. Lyfebulb promotes a healthy, take-charge lifestyle for
those affected by chronic disease. Grounded with its strong foundation in
Diabetes, the company has expanded disease states covered into Cancer and IBD. 

See www.lyfebulb.com, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Karin Hehenberger LinkedIn,
and Lyfebulb LinkedIn. 

About UnitedHealth Group
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) is a diversified health and well-being company
dedicated to helping people live healthier lives and helping make the health
system work better for everyone. UnitedHealth Group offers a broad spectrum of
products and services through two distinct platforms: UnitedHealthcare, which
provides health care coverage and benefits services; and Optum, which provides
information and technology-enabled health services. For more information, visit
UnitedHealth Group at www.unitedhealthgroup.com or follow @UnitedHealthGrp on
Twitter. 

Press Contact for UnitedHealth Group:
Jim Merwin, Senior Director, ERD, phone: [phone], to email:
[e-mail]