'Alexa, order my meds' -- start-up NowRx pioneers prescription refills through Alexa and Google Home

A mobile healthcare company whose app helps consumers expedite prescription refills and delivery has raised $2 million in new funding. NowRx, which calls itself an on-demand pharmacy and is based in Mountain View, Calif., will use the money to further automate its prescription fulfillment program and develop more analytics for drug utilization review, a process for reviewing, prescribing, dispensing and using medication.

A wave of pharmacy startups in the Bay Area are trying to replace the hassle of waiting in a line at the drugstore with the ease of just opening the front door to get a prescription. These new companies offer everything from on-demand delivery or 24-hour access to pharmacists to smartphone apps designed to make sure patients take their medications.

There's no shortage of start-ups offering quick, same-day delivery for groceries and other goods, so it's no surprise that some Bay Area companies are eying pharmaceutical deliveries as a new growth industry.