Babson Diagnostics launching finger-prick blood testing system in H-E-B, other pharmacies

An innovative blood testing system developed by Austin-based Babson Diagnostics that requires no more than a pea-sized drop will be available to customers at a number of H-E-B pharmacies and some other pharmacies around the metro beginning this summer.

Babson announced the planned rollout of its BetterWay blood testing system March 21, saying it will be in select H-E-B pharmacies, Peoples Rx and Lake Hills Pharmacy in Austin and San Antonio starting in July. The initial list of H-E-B pharmacies is still being finalized, according to a Babson spokesperson, although the system will be in all four Peoples RX pharmacies in the metro as well as the sole Lake Hills Pharmacy at 12005 Bee Cave Road.

By the end of the year, the company said it's aiming to have the system in 100 retail sites across Austin and San Antonio.

Babson's technology is designed to produce results equivalent to traditional blood testing methods — in which a needle is used to draw blood from a vein — with a simple finger prick. The system includes a hand-warming device to impel high-quality collections, as well as a patented microsample preparation device. The blood samples will then be taken to Babson's lab in Austin for analysis.

Eric Olson, Babson's founder and chairman, told the Austin Business Journal earlier this year that the system "is designed to be more convenient and pleasant for the individual person that needs to get their bloodwork done, whether it's for their routine primary care visit, or whether it's to monitor a chronic disease."

The company has "updated the process to enable it to be done at retail pharmacies, where it can be done a lot more convenient and collected through your finger" in a way that "still allows the same quality level and broad range of testing to be done," he said.

Babson, a startup that was incubated at Siemens Healthineers AG before spinning off into its own company in 2017, has spent years developing its proprietary BetterWay blood testing method, and last year it received clearances from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to bring it to market.

In 2021, Babson raised a $31 million series B funding round, and it has been expanding its team with health and tech experts since then. It was also an Austin Inno Fire Awards winner in 2023.

Jobby John, managing partner at Lake Hills Pharmacy and president-elect of the Texas Pharmacy Association, said in a statement that Babson's technology will help alleviate strains on the healthcare system because it's accessible and efficient.

“This approach not only meets the community's immediate needs but also addresses broader challenges in accessibility and management, marking a pivotal shift to a more resilient healthcare infrastructure," John said in a statement.

An H-E-B spokesperson didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

“Blood testing hasn’t changed much in over 70 years,” Babson CEO David Stein said in a statement. “We intentionally designed BetterWay to create a better patient experience in convenient retail locations."