Allergy care platform Nectar opens brick-and-mortar center

Allergy testing and treatment company Nectar Life Sciences announced the opening of the Nectar Allergy Center in New York, its first brick-and-mortar clinic, expanding its virtual care platform to a hybrid model. 

Nectar, which launched earlier this year, offers at-home testing kits. Individuals can self-test for indoor or outdoor allergies and send their samples to Nectar for results. 

Testers can then connect with licensed physicians through Nectar’s platform and receive a patent-pending formulated treatment plan, which includes sublingual drops. The drops target a specific allergy and train the immune system to tolerate the allergen over time.  

The company announced it is increasing its offerings to include more allergic conditions, such as food allergies, eczema and asthma, and adding additional allergists to its leadership team. 

Dr. Shyam Joshi will join the company as its chief scientific officer, Dr. Tania Elliott as chief medical officer and Dr. Akansha Ganju as medical director of the Nectar Allergy Center.

“Opening this clinic represents a significant milestone in our mission to make transformative allergy care more accessible to the community, using the power of science and technology. Many New Yorkers are dreading the fall allergy season that’s just around the corner, as 90% of people with allergies have stayed home from work, school or other activities due to their symptoms. Our team is eager to provide comfort and help patients improve their quality of life, so they don’t have to miss out on the moments that truly matter,” Dr. Kenneth Chahine, cofounder and CEO of Nectar, said in a statement. 

THE LARGER TREND

In December, Nectar scored $16.5 million in Series A funding, months after securing $8 million in seed funding. The Series A round brought the company’s total raise to more than $24 million. 

Other companies offering at-home testing for allergies include digital diagnostics company Everly Health, the parent company of EverlyWell, and Denver-based startup Wyndly, which raised $2 million earlier this year.