HELP – Rethinking Chronic Pain with a Root-Cause Digital Approach

Chronic primary pain is one of the most prevalent – yet insufficiently addressed – challenges in modern healthcare. Long waiting times, limited clinical resources and a predominantly biomedical focus often lead to symptom management rather than sustainable change.

In our latest 5-HT Startup Story, we speak with Dr. Antje Kallweit, Founder and CEO of HELP Mee Schmerztherapie GmbH, based in Hamburg. With HELP, she has developed a digital medical device that takes a root-cause approach to treating chronic primary (nociplastic) pain – built on structured digital implementation of evidence-based neuroplastic therapies such as Pain Reprocessing Therapy and EAET.

We discussed closing care gaps, convincing insurers and pharma partners to run pilot projects, international ambitions – and her experience at Insuring Digital Health.

How would you explain your solution to a healthcare professional in three sentences?

HELP is a digital medical device (app) that treats chronic primary pain by addressing its causes rather than simply managing it.

Its USP lies in the structured digital implementation of evidence-based neuroplastic procedures (Pain Reprocessing Therapy and EAET).

Through pain education, reattribution, exposure, and emotion processing, users learn in 90 days how to break the fear-pain cycle in a targeted manner and permanently change central pain processing processes.

HELP-iPhone-Dashoard-Hannah

HELP Screenshots

What problem motivated you to found HELP?

The founding of HELP was motivated by a gap in care that I experienced daily in my pain therapy practice: too little time for complex chronic pain patients, long waiting times, and ineffective biomedical treatment. At the same time, current neurobiological findings and procedures such as Pain Reprocessing Therapy and EAET showed that chronic primary pain can be specifically modified—but these approaches were not available in German-speaking countries. HELP was born out of the desire to make these evidence-based methods accessible to many people, regardless of time and location, and to use medical time where it is really needed.

Dr. Antje Kallweit (l.), Annika Bruhns-Petersson (r.)

How do you convince pharmaceutical companies, health insurance companies, insurers or other potential customers to set up a pilot project with you?

HELP addresses a clearly defined gap in care and offers a robust, differentiated solution. HELP is specifically aimed at patients with chronic primary/nociceptive pain—a large, cost-intensive group that has been underserved to date. Unlike many digital offerings that focus on symptom management, acceptance, or general well-being, HELP takes a cause-oriented approach with the explicit goal of sustainably changing central pain processing processes.

Our USP lies in the structured digital implementation of evidence-based neuroplastic procedures such as Pain Reprocessing Therapy and EAET, which are not yet systematically available in existing DiGA or standard care. HELP is medically developed, clinically sound, and clearly indication-specific – not a lifestyle product, but a medical care tool.

For health insurance companies and insurers, a pilot project with HELP offers the opportunity to reduce high follow-up costs due to chronicity, overdiagnosis, and medication. For pharmaceutical companies, HELP offers a complementary, non-pharmacological therapy option that improves therapy adherence, self-efficacy, and long-term outcomes without competing with existing products. HELP offers added value for care providers, patients, and payers.

Who are your current customers (groups) and who are the potential customers?

HELP is currently aimed primarily at adult patients with chronic primary/nociceptive pain in the German market – initially on a self-pay basis and as part of ongoing pilot projects and studies. At the same time, we are addressing physicians, pain clinics, and hospitals that use HELP as a complementary or post-hospital care element. Potential customer groups include statutory and private health insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, and healthcare facilities seeking evidence-based, scalable solutions to reduce chronicity. Internationally, HELP is currently focused on German-speaking countries. International expansion is planned.

Where do you see yourselves in 3 years' time and how can 5-HT support you?

In three years, we see HELP as a firmly established digital component in the standard care of chronic primary pain—with robust evidence of effectiveness and widespread use by health insurance companies, clinics, and physicians. Internationally, we are aiming for initial market entries in selected European countries. 5-HT can support us in this by opening up strategic partnerships, accelerating pilot projects, and facilitating access to relevant players in the healthcare ecosystem.

HELP Team

You took part in Oktober 2025 at Insuring Digital Health. What is your impression of the event and what have you gained from participating (so far)?

Insuring Digital Health enabled us to engage in highly targeted, high-quality exchanges with decision-makers from insurance companies, health insurers, and digital health providers. The depth of the discussions was particularly valuable, as they focused less on visions and more on concrete care models and implementation issues. Participation led to several in-depth discussions and follow-ups. In addition, the event was an important reality check for us, confirming that HELP, with its cause-oriented approach, addresses a real, clearly understood gap in care.

Dr. Antje Kallweit, CEO and founder of help, at the 5-HT Insuring Digital Health event in Mannheim in October 2025