Reframe Cancer acquires digital prehabilitation firm Alvie Health

Cancer support firm Reframe Cancer has acquired digital cancer prehabilitation business Alvie Health.

The government’s National Cancer Plan, published on 4 February, committed to delivering digital-first universal prehabilitation by 2028, with the aim of helping patients prepare and recover from cancer treatment.

Reframe Cancer will invest in Alvie Health over the next 12 months as it expands its prehabilitation, rehabilitation and affordable digital care led offering, with the aim to increase its partnership with the NHS.

Mark Stephenson, chief executive at Reframe Cancer, said: “Our investment and acquisition of Alvie Health means we can make a real difference for more cancer patients across the NHS and deliver digital prehabilitation at scale.

“We are already engaging with ten NHS trusts to help support with cancer related employee absence, so this is a natural progression and in time we will also support with screening and navigation as a cancer focused CQC registered business.

“Our clear outcomes data and expertise from over 12 years of working with cancer patients is unrivalled in the industry, and we are now able to offer full cancer prehabilitation and rehabilitation through our acquisition of Alvie Health and our enhanced digital solutions.”

Alvie Health was founded five years ago and has since provided digital prehabilitation to 13 NHS trusts across seven cancer alliances.

Krishna Moorthy, an NHS consultant surgeon specialising in oesophageal and gastric cancer, founded the firm and will stay onboard alongside his full team. Reframe Cancer will add their own management, sales, and marketing teams.

Alvie Health data shows that 45% of patients who accessed its prehabilitation services are from the most deprived communities.

It has estimated that only 20% of patients currently have access to prehabilitation as part of their cancer journey and aims to help the NHS with its goal to deliver prehabilitation to all patients.

Krishna Moorthy said: “I’m delighted that Reframe Cancer have committed so fully, to not just acquire Alvie Health, but to have the teams and financial investment to help me realise my dream, as an NHS surgeon, for digital prehabilitation to become a reality right across the NHS.

“Working in partnership with the NHS over the last five years and underpinned by academic rigour and a growing evidence base, we’re proud of the results achieved, including an overall 17% plus improvement in patient quality of life.

“This is significant as cancer patients on average typically experience a 10% reduction in their quality of life during cancer treatment. The insights and investment from Reframe Cancer will take Alvie Health to the next level.”

Earlier this month, it was announced that patients will be able to sign up for clinical trials through the NHS App, as part of the National Cancer Plan.

The plan also includes a £2.3bn investment to deliver 9.5 million additional tests by 2029 – investing in more scanners, digital technology and automated testing.