Viome

Viome is a longevity and preventative healthcare company that combines RNA sequencing and artificial intelligence (AI) technology with the goal of discovering predictive biomarkers to prevent diseases. Viome markets home-based tests that provide personalized nutritional guidance and also sells microbiome health products. The company was founded by Deepak Savadatti and Naveen Jain in 2016, in Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA.

The company's artificial learning engines analyze and aggregate all received biological data, allowing the machine learning to find trends, patterns, and influences, and ultimately breakthroughs. The way the data is collected is through a microbiome analysis kit customers use to get a snapshot of the microbes living inside their gut. Then Viome offers basic recommendations on how dietary changes could affect their health. Assessing microbiome health and maintaining it can reduce or slow the progression of diseases like depression, osteoarthritis, functional bowel diseases, and multiple sclerosis. Viome aims to make use of data collected from users to spot trends in gut biome health and support scientific research in the area.

Viome had raised over $25 million by 2019. At that time, Viome was pursuing about fifteen clinical research trials and aimed to develop its own treatments. Its tests have origins from technology from a company, BlueDot, which is from Los Alamos National Laboratory and is a type of RNA sequencing. RNA sequencing analyses the messenger molecules that provide cells with instructions on which proteins to produce. Researchers at Viome aim to use RNA sequencing to show signaling and metabolic pathways active in bacteria in the body, which can have positive and negative impacts on health. Viome sequences the users' RNA and can identify and quantify all of the living microorganisms in the gut (bacteria, viruses, bacteriophages, archaea, fungi, yeast, parasites, and more) at the species and strain level.

Viome has been criticized for having insufficient scientific evidence for its products and recommended interventions. Founder Naveen Jain has been reported to have made some statements that lack a sound basis. Jain is reported to have made the claim that every chronic disease is caused by gut issues. Jain is reported to have said that the healthcare system and the pharmaceutical industry are financially invested in keeping the public as patients, not really wanting people to be well.

Viome launched the Gut Intelligence Test in 2023 into 200 CVS pharmacy locations in the US, and it was the first gut test available in the national retail chain. Also in 2023, Viome announced its Oral Health Solutions kit, which includes the Oral Health Intelligence Test, VRx My Biotics Oral Lozenges, and Precision Supplements. The Oral Health Solutions product aims to provide RNA-driven oral health scores and personalized plans to improve the balance of oral bacteria. The lozenges contain a personalized blend of beneficial bacteria and other ingredients that aim to benefit the oral microbiome.