• Funding Stage : Pre-series A
• Raising amount : KRW 1.5 B
• Desired Fundraising Timeframe : 2Q 2025

Digital therapeutics represent a novel approach in medicine, using software and apps to treat patients, unlike traditional methods. While most disease treatments have relied on physicochemical methods like drugs or surgery, many modern lifestyle-related conditions cannot be fundamentally addressed this way. Insomnia is a prime example, with several digital therapeutics developed for its treatment.

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders are another such condition, manifesting as jaw sounds, pain, or discomfort when opening the mouth. If untreated, they can lead to facial asymmetry, sleep disorders, or depression. Root causes include poor lifestyle habits, oral habits, and stress, but prescriptions addressing these have been limited, with most dental clinics offering painkillers or device-based treatments.

Today’s featured company, Beyondmedicine, is developing the world’s first digital therapeutic for TMJ disorders, “Clickless,” founded by dentist CEO Dae-hyun Kim and two fellow dentists.

How prevalent are TMJ disorders in Korea? An estimated 2 million people are affected annually, though only about 500,000 visit hospitals, according to health insurance statistics. However, these patients generate 1.6 million prescriptions, averaging three visits per patient—a significant scale.

CEO Dae-hyun Kim explains the motivation behind Clickless: “TMJ disorders are primarily caused by poor lifestyle habits, but until now, we couldn’t prescribe solutions to correct them. We believe digital therapeutics can address these root causes.”

When a doctor prescribes Clickless, patients gain six weeks of access. Following its daily 5–10-minute program, they engage in lifestyle improvement, stress relief, and muscle relaxation activities. At their next dental visit, the doctor uses six weeks of treatment data for more precise prescriptions, creating synergy and a virtuous cycle between digital and physicochemical treatments.

Some questions arise. Will patients comply with digital therapeutic prescriptions? Kim notes, “Over 80% of TMJ disorder patients are women aged 20–40, who are receptive to digital solutions and show high compliance compared to other conditions.”

Another concern is business-related: how frequently will dentists prescribe digital therapeutics? In Korea, only 5–6 digital therapeutics are approved, with just a few hundred prescriptions by April 2025. However, this doesn’t indicate low potential. Advanced nations, like Germany, recorded 600,000 digital therapeutic prescriptions by last year. Korea’s market potential depends on how quickly health authorities establish supportive regulations.

CEO Kim, a former military doctor, won the grand prize at the “Challenge K-Startup Defense League.” Since then, he has researched digital therapeutics to overcome the artisanal limitations of dental care. Beyondmedicine developed the world’s first TMJ disorder digital therapeutic, submitting pre-submission materials to the U.S. FDA, which designated it a “Novel Technology.”

Beyondmedicine has made significant business preparations. It has partnered with over 1,000 of Korea’s 20,000 dental clinics, ready to prescribe Clickless upon regulatory approval. Confirmatory clinical trials are ongoing with Korea’s MFDS, expected to conclude in May 2025, with approval anticipated soon after.

Will Korea’s digital therapeutics market explode, and can it gain global recognition? Beyondmedicine is well-positioned to lead. Having completed preparations, the company and CEO Kim are pursuing pre-Series A funding for faster growth and eagerly await investor meetings.

What problem is Beyondmedicine trying to solve?

Our team aims to treat modern lifestyle-related diseases, where daily management is key, using software. Many conditions require not just hospital interventions but consistent patient self-management and lifestyle changes. We address this through “Digital Therapeutics (SaMD, Software as a Medical Device).”

Our first focus is TMJ disorders, characterized by jaw sounds, pain, or difficulty opening the mouth, affecting over 200 million people globally annually. If not managed early, it can become chronic, causing facial asymmetry or depression.

TMJ disorders stem from poor sleep habits, oral habits, and emotional stress. Fundamental solutions require patients to recognize and improve these issues, but until now, treatments were limited to drugs or devices for all patients.

How does it solve this problem?

Textbook TMJ disorder treatment emphasizes “individual behavior modification and self-care,” but this has been challenging in current medical settings. We address this with a digital therapeutic app (SaMD).

Clickless, our TMJ disorder digital therapeutic, includes cognitive behavioral therapy, rehabilitation exercises, and meditation programs. Patients participate 5–10 minutes daily for six weeks, improving lifestyle factors, reducing stress, and relaxing muscles for effective outcomes. It uniquely reduces recurrence rates by fostering objective disease awareness.

What are our competitive advantages and technical strengths compared to competitors?

No digital therapeutics for TMJ disorders exist globally. Our team, including dental, psychiatric, and neurological specialists, develops evidence-based, sophisticated treatment algorithms and continually enhances user experience to boost engagement.

Exploratory clinical studies showed over 90% of Clickless users experienced therapeutic benefits, significantly outperforming other treatments. These findings were published in the Journal of Dentistry, a top global dental journal, a world first.

We’ve received collaboration requests from leading dental professors worldwide. Our digital therapeutic evolves with real patient data, widening the efficacy gap with potential competitors.

What products/services do we offer, and what is their current status?

Our service is the TMJ disorder digital therapeutic “Clickless,” delivered as an app. Patients engage in a 5–10-minute, six-week program. Clinical deployment requires three stages: exploratory trials, confirmatory trials, and MFDS approval. We’ve completed confirmatory trials and are finalizing MFDS approval, a process where Clickless was designated Korea’s first dental “Innovative Medical Device.”

Beyond digital therapeutics, we offer dental digital transformation services. For example, we launched “Everyone’s Teeth,” a PHR-based app revolutionizing phone-based dental bookings, available on app stores. We’re expanding partner clinics and enhancing the service.

What is the target market size, and who are the core customers?

TMJ disorders have a 6–10% annual prevalence, affecting over 200 million globally. In Korea, over 2 million are affected yearly, with 500,000+ seeking treatment, per health insurance data.

With over 80% being women aged 20–40, app-based digital therapeutics see high compliance. We target Korea’s 500,000 annual patients initially, aiming to become the global standard TMJ treatment protocol through rapid expansion.

What is Beyondmedicine’s business model?

Clickless, a software medical device, follows a B2B2C model, requiring a hospital prescription. Patients diagnosed with TMJ disorders needing lifestyle correction receive a six-week Clickless prescription. Data from their participation is shared with prescribing doctors, enabling objective assessments and precise follow-up diagnoses.

In Korea, Clickless is strictly B2B2C, but globally, models vary. In the U.S., OTC allows patients to purchase Clickless directly. In some countries, it can launch faster as a general wellness service.

What are our team’s achievements?

Over four years of R&D, we’ve built an environment for prescribing Clickless, expecting full deployment this year’s second half. Achievements include being Korea’s first dental Innovative Medical Device by MFDS and publishing clinical results in a top global journal. We’ve secured multiple domestic and international patents and partnered with over 1,000 Korean dental clinics. These efforts led to USD 1.07 million (KRW 1.5 billion) in investments and over USD 500,000 (KRW 700 million) in R&D grants.

What is our team’s competitiveness?

Founded by three dentists, our team comprises top TMJ experts. Two co-founders are university hospital professors, continuously researching service enhancements through direct patient interactions.

Our journey began when CEO Kim won the “Challenge K-Startup Defense League” in the military. With 12 years as a dentist, he questioned why dental care was limited to one patient at a time in a unit chair, leading to research on digital therapeutics to innovate dental care.

Our 11-member team—developers, designers, regulatory experts, and in-house patent attorneys—unites to transform dentistry.

Why should we receive investment? Three reasons!

First, we pioneered the world’s first TMJ disorder digital therapeutic, earning Innovative Medical Device status and global journal publications. Our team’s expertise and completed R&D make now the optimal investment time.

Second, rooted in dentistry—Korea’s largest medical sector—we address objective needs, driving digital innovation across dental care.

Third, successfully commercializing our first digital therapeutic will generate revenue, enabling expansion into other disease areas and positioning us for global healthcare leadership and a successful IPO.

Anything else you’d like to convey?

Korea’s dental care and IT are world-class, yet no global healthcare giants have emerged. Our TMJ disorder digital therapeutic, a global first, offers a chance to succeed and expand across fields. Join us in revolutionizing global dentistry.