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Sword Health is launching a cardiometabolic care segment, CEO Virgílio Bento tells Axios Pro exclusively.

What's next: The company is weighing more M&A and an IPO as early as next year.

Catch up quick: Sword announced in January plans to acquire Kaia Health, a digital health company focused on musculoskeletal and pulmonary care, for $285 million. 

The company had been raising $500 million for M&A, which is still underway, according to Bento.

What they're saying: "We can acquire a company to get into a different vertical," Bento says. "We can acquire a company to accelerate the path to scale on an existing vertical. We are really focused on full optionality."

Of the company's eventual public debut timeline, Bento says, "I think 2027 [or] 2028 will make sense."

How it works: For its new cardiometabolic segment, Sword will work with self-insured employers and payers to deploy programs for individual users. 

 The company could offer companion programs without prescribing the GLP-1s, help patients secure prior authorization, or be the exclusive option for users seeking GLP-1s, Bento says.

Sword plans to launch the program with customers as early as June. 

State of play: Sword is entering a crowded segment that includes a number of companies jockeying for early market share including already public Omada Health as well as fellow IPO candidate Virta. 

The space also includes a slew of startups, direct-to-consumer companies and drugmakers who have different GLP-1 offerings.

Context: Founded in 2015, Sword pitches its digital health platform through payors, self-insured employers, national health systems and other health care organizations. 

Sword entered the U.S. in 2020, starting with musculoskeletal conditions before later expanding into women's and mental health.

Exclusive: Sword Health launches GLP-1 program as it eyes more deals

The company is weighing more M&A and an IPO as early as next year.

Photo illustration of Virgílio Bento collaged with the Sword Health logo.

Sword Health CEO Virgílio Bento. Photo illustration: Axios Visuals. Photo: Courtesy of Sword

Sword Health is launching a cardiometabolic care segment, CEO Virgílio Bento tells Axios Pro exclusively.What&#x27;s next: The company is weighing more M&amp;A and an IPO as early as next year.

Exclusive: Sword Health launches GLP-1 program as it eyes more deals

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